The neutral maltase-glucoamylase complex has been purified to homogeneity from the brush-border membrane of rabbit intestine and kidney. Chemical modification of the amino acid side chains was carried out on the purified enzymes. Studies on the kidney enzyme revealed that tryptophan, histidine and cysteine were essential for both maltase and glucoamylase activities, whereas tryptophan, histidin...

The clinical and laboratory findings of a patient with juvenile acid maltase deficiency are presented. The patient died from respiratory muscle weakness at age 31 years. Muscle biopsy shortly prior to his death showed remarkable vacuolation affecting exclusively type I fibres and mild myopathic changes of both types of muscle fibres, while the muscle biopsy at age 26 years had shown no evidence...

The enzyme maltase (glucoinvertase; glucosidosucrase; maltase-glucoamylase; a-glucopyranosidase; glucosidoinvertase; a-D-glucosidase; a-glucoside hydrolase; a-1,4-glucosidase EC 3.2.1.20), is involved in the exo-hydrolysis of 1,4-a-glucosidic linkages and certain oligosaccharides into glucose which is an important energy source for soil microbes. This enzyme originates from different sources, w...

In order to isolate the structural gene involved in sucrose utilization, we screened a sucrose-induced Candida albicans cDNA library for clones expressing alpha-glucosidase activity. The C. albicans maltase structural gene (CAMAL2) was isolated. No other clones expressing alpha-glucosidase activity. were detected. A genomic CAMAL2 clone was obtained by screening a size-selected genomic library ...

Digestion of starch in mammals occurs chiefly in the mouth and small intestine through the catalytic activity of ar-amylase and maltase (a-glucosidase). Extensive cw-amylolysis of amylose and amylopectin results in the formation of maltose, glucose, and a mixture of branched oligosaccharides (cr-amylase dextrins) (1). The latter compounds, whose structure is currently being investigated by seve...

Mutations resulting in constitutive production of maltase have been identified at each of the five MAL loci of Saccharomyces yeasts. Here we examine a dominant constitutive, glucose-repression-insensitive allele of the MAL4 locus (MAL4-C). Our results demonstrate that MAL4-C is an alteration in the MAL43 gene, which encodes the positive regulator of the MAL structural genes, and that its produc...

MALTOSE is the only disaccharide which, on subcutaneous injection, has been found capable of alleviating the symptoms caused by insulin. As has been shown by Herring, Irvine and Macleod [1924], its action, in this respect, in the case of mice is almost as efficient as that of glucose or mannose, but with larger animals, such as rabbits, cats or dogs, it is less effective. Even with mice, it exe...

The methanolic extract of pasuchaca (Geranium dielsiaum) (PsEx) was found to suppress blood glucose elevation after oral administration of sucrose, maltose, and starch, but not after oral administration of glucose, in the mouse. In vitro examination of the inhibitory effect of PsEx on maltase activity revealed that PsEx strongly inhibited mouse small intestine maltase activity. Taken together, ...

Calf milk replacers (MR) commonly contain 40% to 50% lactose. For economic reasons, starch is of interest as a lactose replacer. Compared with lactose, starch digestion is generally low in calves. It is, however, unknown which enzyme limits the rate of starch digestion. The objectives were to determine which enzyme limits starch digestion and to assess the maximum capacity for starch digestion ...