A Chromogenic Assay Suitable for High-Throughput Determination of Limit Dextrinase Activity in Barley Malt Extracts

Twenty-four malt samples were assayed for limit dextrinase activity using a chromogenic assay developed recently in our group. The assay utilizes a small soluble chromogenic substrate which is hydrolyzed selectively by limit dextrinase in a coupled assay to release the chromophore 2-chloro-4-nitrophenol. The release of the chromophore, corresponding to the activity of limit dextrinase, can be followed by measuring the UV absorption at 405 nm. The 24 malt samples represented a wide variation of limit dextrinase activities, and these activities could be clearly differentiated by the assay. The results obtained were comparable with the results obtained from a commercially available assay, Limit-Dextrizyme from Megazyme International Ireland. Furthermore, the improved assay uses a soluble substrate. That makes it well suited for high-throughput screening as it can be handled in a 96-well plate format.