Enzyme preparations from Aspergillus flavus for structural studies of the peach gum polysaccharide

Extra- and intracellular glycanohydrolases were isolated from Aspergillus flavus and partially characterized. Both preparations exhibited beta-galactosidase activity. Gel chromatography of the extracellular enzyme preparation on Sephadex revealed one protein fraction containing beta-galactosidase activity and a second one exhibiting mainly beta-xylosidase activity. Electrophoresis in starch gel and disc electrophoresis in polyacrylamide gel showed that the preparation obtained from the cultivation broth contained five protein fractions, whereas two protein fractions could be detected in the intracellular preparation. Hydrolysis of a partially degraded polysaccharide of peach gum by the above preparations yielded D-galactose as the main product and traces of D-mannose, L-arabinose, D-xylose and a number of oligosaccharides.