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Most‐probable distribution at enzyme depolymerization of polysaccharides
Author(s) -
Mazur A. K.
Publication year - 1984
Publication title -
biopolymers
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.556
H-Index - 125
eISSN - 1097-0282
pISSN - 0006-3525
DOI - 10.1002/bip.360230504
Subject(s) - depolymerization , chemistry , polymer , product distribution , distribution (mathematics) , cleavage (geology) , enzyme , hydrolysis , organic chemistry , mathematics , materials science , mathematical analysis , fracture (geology) , composite material , catalysis
Several research groups have studied depolymerizing processes by enzyme cleavage using product distribution. Although only the shortest chain products can be measured experimentally, interpretation of much evidence requires an assumption of the nature of high polymer distribution. The present work analyzes the high polymer distribution of products on the basis of mathematical models suggested for the two most widespread α‐amylase action‐mechanisms. The most‐probable distribution was found to be distorted by hydrolysis only for the shortest chain products. The size of the distorted region is directly dependent on the characteristics of a specific enzyme. We studied the distribution of products for substrates of varying composition to show that it approaches the most‐probable distribution at depolymerization.