Hevea Linamarase—A Nonspecific β-Glycosidase

In the leaf tissue of the cyanogenic plant Hevea brasiliensis, which contains large amounts of linamarin, there is no specific linamarase. In Hevea leaves only one beta-glucosidase is detectable. It is responsible for the cleavage of all beta-glucosides and beta-galactosides occurring in Hevea leaf tissue, including the cyanogenic glucoside linamarin. Therefore, the enzyme is referred to as a beta-glycosidase instead of the term beta-glucosidase. This beta-glycosidase has a broad substrate spectrum and occurs in multiple forms. These homo-oligomeric forms are interconvertible by dissociation-association processes. The monomer is a single protein of 64 kilodaltons.