title: Hydrolysis of some carbohydrate substrates by enzymes of pooled human dental plaque fluid.
abstract: The activity of enzymes releasing glucose and reducing sugars from sucrose, maltose, starch and dextran was compared in the same pooled samples of plaque fluid (PF) from 24 h human dental plaque. Equimolar amounts of glucose and fructose were released from sucrose in 3 h incubations. Reducing activity was released from sucrose or starch at a similar rate. The rate of glucose release from the starch substrate was similar to that from maltose but lower than that from sucrose. Raffinose was hydrolysed, indicating beta-fructosidase activity in PF. The hydrolysis of maltose, trehalose and melezitose confirmed the presence of alpha-glucosidase activity. Maltose was metabolized partially to a maltosaccharide. No dextranase activity was detectable in PF, and the soluble polymeric carbohydrate in PF was partially degraded by fungal dextranase. Starch was degraded to dextrins, maltose and glucose.
mesh_terms: D050260:Carbohydrate Metabolism; D002855:Chromatography, Thin Layer; D003773:Dental Plaque / Q000201:enzymology*; D003911:Dextrans / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D006868:Hydrolysis; D008320:Maltose / Q000378:metabolism; D013213:Starch / Q000378:metabolism; D013395:Sucrose / Q000378:metabolism; D000520:alpha-Glucosidases / Q000378:metabolism; D001617:beta-Glucosidase / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D003911:Dextrans; D013395:Sucrose; D008320:Maltose; D013213:Starch; D000520:alpha-Glucosidases; D001617:beta-Glucosidase