Description

• General description: β-Amylases belongs to the class of amylolytic enzymes.[1]
• Application: β -Amylase is used to hydrolyze α bonds of α-linked polysaccharides, such as starch and glycogen. β -Amylase, from Sigma, has been used in various plant studies, such as carbon starvation studies in Populus tremuloides.[2] β-amylase from sweet potato has been used to examine the utility of the enzyme in inhibiting and removing Staphylococcus aureus biofilms.[3] The enzyme has also been used to prepare β-limit dextrin from waxy maize starch.[4]
• Biochem/physiol Actions: β-Amylase hydrolyzes the α-(1,4) glucan linkages in polysaccharides of three or more α-(1,4) linked D-glucose units. Natural substrates such as starch and glycogen are broken down into glucose and maltose. β-amylase from sweet potato is a tetramer of identical subunits, which are arranged to exhibit 222 molecular symmetry.[7]
• Unit Definition: One unit will liberate 1.0 mg of maltose from starch in 3 min at pH 4.8 at 20 °C.
• Physical form: Crystalline suspension in 2.3 M (NH4)2SO4
• Other Notes: View more information on enzymes for complex carbohydrate analysis at www.sigma-aldrich.com/enzymeexplorer