A one-step enzymatic assay for sucrose with sucrose phosphorylase

A one-step, enzymatic assay for sucrose using sucrose phosphorylase is described. Sucrose phosphorylase, which is now commercially available, was isolated from Leuconostoc mesenteroides strain B-1200 and partially purified by ammonium sulfate precipitation. Samples containing 5 to 80 nmol of sucrose are mixed with potassium phosphate, NAD, sucrose phosphorylase, and two commercial enzymes, phosphoglucomutase and NAD-accepting glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase. After 30 min incubation at room temperature, absorbance at 340 nm is proportional to initial sucrose content. A 20-fold molar excess of glucose or a twofold excess of fructose have no effect on the assay, while a fourfold excess of fructose interferes with the assay by decreasing absorbance ca. 20%. This assay was designed to provide a rapid method for determining sucrose in studies of sugar transport by plants. To test the assay, corn pedicel extracts were assayed enzymatically and by high-pressure liquid chromatography. Estimates of sucrose content made by the two methods were equivalent, and exogenous addition of sucrose to these samples resulted in the expected increase in apparent sucrose content.