title: A study of the reaction catalysed by the liver branching enzyme.
abstract: The mechanism of action of liver branching enzyme has been studied by using as substrate two polysaccharides in which the non-reducing ends had been labelled by incubation with phosphorylase and a trace amount of [(14)C]glucose 1-phosphate. After these polysaccharides had been treated with branching enzyme, their structure was analysed by periodate oxidation, by degradation with phosphorylase and amylo-(1-->6)-glucosidase and by degradation with pullulanase. All the results indicate that the branching enzyme catalyses the transfer from (1-->4)- to (1-->6)-linkage of a chain of glucose units, the minimum length of which is six glucose units. A maltodextrin containing 16 glucose units was not acted on by the branching enzyme.
mesh_terms: D002241:Carbohydrates; D002247:Carbon Isotopes; D055598:Chemical Phenomena; D002621:Chemistry; D005959:Glucosidases; D008099:Liver / Q000201:enzymology*; D010504:Periodic Acid; D010770:Phosphotransferases; D014166:Transferases
chemical_list: D002241:Carbohydrates; D002247:Carbon Isotopes; D010504:Periodic Acid; D014166:Transferases; D010770:Phosphotransferases; D005959:Glucosidases