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Updated: Jun 21, 2026

Measuring Lactase Enzymatic Activity in the Teaching Lab
Published on: August 6, 2018
Enzymatic production of alpha-D-galactose 1-phosphate by lactose phosphorolysis
Manu R M De Groeve1, Veerle Depreitere, Tom Desmet
1Laboratory of Industrial Microbiology and Biocatalysis, Department of Biochemical and Microbial Technology, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, 9000, Ghent, Belgium. Manu.DeGroeve@UGent.be
Abstract:
alpha-D-Galactose 1-phosphate (alphaGal1P) is an important building block for the synthesis of nucleotide sugars that are substrates for glycosyltransferases. We have previously reported the creation of novel lactose phosphorylase enzymes that are useful for the synthesis of alphaGal1P from the cheap and abundant lactose. Here we describe the application of such a lactose phosphorylase in a production system using permeabilized Escherichia coli cells. After purification of the product from the reaction mixture by anion-exchange chromatography and ethanol precipitation, 9.5 grams of highly pure alphaGal1P were obtained from a 1 l reaction volume.
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