Composition of Glycosidases

Unfortunately, crystalline glycosidases are still unknown, but a highly purified j3-glucosidase and an invertase (jS-fructofuranosidase) have been described. 

From almond emulsin, enzymes with a jS-glucosidase value as high as 16 have been prepared. (The ordinary almond emulsins have a value of 1 or less.) The properties of such preparations have been studied by Helferich and associates (16). The elementary composition agrees with that of protein substances, but the hydrogen content is somewhat greater than usual. The protein nature of the material also agrees with the action of the anions of neutral salts on the enzymic activity since the order of activation by 

Helferich, W. Richter, and S. Griinler, Ber. Verhandl. s chs. Akad. Wiss. Leipzig Math, naturw. Kl. 89, 385 (1937). 

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