Amylases

Amylases are enzymes that break down starch into sugars. Starch is a type of complex carbohydrate, a carbohydrate made up of glucose molecules linked by glycosidic bonds. Amylases work by breaking the bonds between these glucose units, converting starch into simpler sugars such as maltose, dextrin, and glucose. These smaller sugars are much easier for organisms to absorb. Amylases play an essential role in many aspects of biology, including carbohydrate metabolism. They're also widely used in manufacturing industries such as brewing, baking, textiles, and detergents.

Creative Enzymes' full range of amylase products are now all in stock. Our advantage is that we offer a wide collection of different amylases to ensure that you find the perfect enzyme for your needs. These amylases are available from different origins, providing flexibility for different applications. In addition, both native and recombinant forms are available to meet specific research and industrial needs.

Types of Amylases

Amylases are categorized based on the types of bonds they hydrolyze and the products they produce. The main types of amylases are:

• α-Amylase (EC 3.2.1.1): α-Amylase is the most common type of amylase and is found in plants, animals and microorganisms. It acts on internal α-1,4 glycosidic bonds in starch molecules, breaking them down into smaller fragments like dextrins, maltose, and glucose. α-Amylase works in an endo-acting manner, meaning that it can cleave bonds at random locations within the starch molecule, therefore α-Amylase is an endoamylase. It works best at neutral to slightly alkaline pH and is a key enzyme in industries such as brewing, food and textile processing.

Fig. 1: Structure and enzymatic action of α-amylases. A. Bacillus licheniformis α-amylase (PDB code: 1BLI). B. α-Amylases catalyze the hydrolysis of internal α-1,4-glycosidic linkages in polysaccharides into low-molecular-weight products, such as glucose, maltose, and maltotriose units.

• β-Amylase (EC 3.2.1.2): β-Amylase is found mainly in plants and some microbes, but not in animals. β-Amylase, unlike α-Amylase, cleaves starch molecules at the non-reducing end of the chain, breaking α-1,4 glycosidic linkages to open maltose. It is exo-acting (i.e., it removes two units of glucose from the non-reducing ends of the starch chain), making β-amylase an exoamylase. β-amylase is also useful for starch saccharification in the brewing and baking industries.

Fig. 2: Structure and enzymatic action of β-amylases. A. Bacillus cereus β-amylase (PDB code: 1VEM). B. β-Amylases or maltogenic-amylases act on the non-reducing end of starch, glycogen, and related polysaccharides and oligosaccharides to cleave β-maltose (two glucose units) by inversion.

• γ-Amylase (EC 3.2.1.3): γ-Amylase is less common than α- and β-amylase and is produced primarily by microorganisms, including fungi. This enzyme hydrolyzes both α-1,4 and α-1,6 glycosidic linkages and hydrolyzes starch, glycogen, and related polysaccharides into glucose molecules. γ-Amylase, like β-Amylase, is a member of the exoamylase family. γ-Amylase can operate under more acidic conditions than other amylases and is therefore used in certain industrial reactions.

Fig. 3: Structure and enzymatic action of γ-amylases. A. Thermoactinomyces vulgaris γ-amylase (PDB code: 2DFZ). B. γ-Amylases hydrolyze terminal 1,4-α-D-glucosidic bonds successively from non-reducing ends of the chains, releasing β-D-glucose. Most forms of the enzymes can rapidly hydrolyze 1,6-α-D-glucosidic bonds when the next bond in the sequence is 1,4, and some preparations of this enzyme hydrolyze 1,6- and 1,3-α-D-glucosidic bonds in other polysaccharides.

Source of Amylases

Amylases are produced by a wide range of organisms, including:

• Plants: Seeds are full of amylases, especially during the germination stage. Seeds store starch as a carbohydrate reserve, and during germination, amylases break it down to provide energy for the developing plant embryo.
• Animals: The main sources of amylase in mammals are the salivary glands and the pancreas. Salivary amylase (ptyalin) in humans (native human α-amylase) starts starch digestion in the mouth, and pancreatic amylase continues it in the small intestine.
• Microorganisms: Amylases are derived from bacteria, fungi and yeasts. Microbial amylases are ideally suited for industrial use due to their ease of production, cost effectiveness and multiple functional roles. Species such as Aspergillus (native Aspergillus oryzae α-amylase), Bacillus (native Bacillus amyloliquefaciens α-amylase), and Saccharomyces are commonly used to produce industrial amylases.
• Insects: Some insects, especially those that feed on starchy materials such as grains and leaves, produce amylases to efficiently digest plant starch.

Applications of Amylases

Due to the diversity of amylases and their ability to break down starch, they are now used in so many areas. Some of the most important applications are:

Food and Beverage Industry

• Baking: Amylases are used in the baking industry, where they are added to bread dough to aid yeast fermentation and improve the softness and shelf life of baked goods. By converting starch to sugar, amylases provide a continuous supply of fermentable sugars that yeast converts to carbon dioxide and the dough rises.
• Brewing: During the fermentation of brews, amylases convert the starch in grains such as barley into sugars. These sugars are then fermented by yeast to produce alcohol. α-amylase and β-amylase are also responsible for maintaining the proper ratio of fermentable to non-fermentable sugars in the final product, which affects the flavor and alcohol content of the beer.
• Sugar Production: Amylases in the sugar industry, such as α-amylase and glucoamylase (native Rhizopus sp. glucoamylase), break down starch from crops such as corn and potatoes into simpler sugars to produce high-fructose corn syrup. This enzymatic process produces higher yields and purity of sugar, maximizing starch utilization and is more efficient and sustainable than acid hydrolysis. Amylases also save energy by eliminating the need for high temperatures and harsh chemicals.

Detergent Industry

Amylases are used in laundry and dishwashing detergents because they break down starch-based stains, such as those from sauces, potatoes or pasta. Amylases in detergents remove these stains more effectively because they break down the starch molecules into soluble sugars that are washable.

Textile Industry

Amylases in the textile industry remove starch-based sizing agents from fabrics during weaving. Sizers protect fibers from damage during the weaving process, but must be removed before dyeing or finishing. Amylases hydrolyze the starch and easily rinse it out for a cleaner finish and better dye absorption.

Pulp and Paper Industry

Amylases are used in the pulp and paper industry to modify the starch coating and improve paper quality. Starch is often added to paper to increase strength, but excess starch can reduce flexibility. Amylases are needed to remove excess starch, improving the quality of the final product by increasing its strength and printability.

Biofuel Production

Amylases are critical for biofuels such as ethanol. In biofuel production, plant-based materials such as corn or wheat undergo enzymatic saccharification, in which amylases convert starch into fermentable sugars. These sugars are then fermented into ethanol by yeast or other microorganisms. The use of amylases in biofuel production increases yields by breaking down starch faster and saving energy.

Waste water Management

Amylases improve wastewater treatment by breaking down starch contaminants into simpler sugars that are easily metabolized by microorganisms in treatment systems. This enzymatic breakdown reduces biological oxygen demand (BOD), preventing oxygen depletion in water bodies and protecting aquatic life. In activated sludge systems, amylases also accelerate microbial digestion by breaking down large starch molecules, speeding the breakdown of organic matter and improving treatment efficiency.

Biotechnology and Research

Amylases are used in a variety of biotechnological applications and research studies. For example, they are used in the study of enzyme kinetics, protein engineering, and metabolic pathways. Amylases are also used in diagnostic kits to measure starch levels in food or biological samples.

Pharmaceutical Industry

Amylases play an important role in the pharmaceutical industry. They are often used in digestive supplements for people who don't produce enough pancreatic amylase. These supplements can make it easier for people with digestive problems to break down starch and absorb nutrients more effectively. Amylases are also useful in drug manufacturing. They help modify starch-based ingredients so that medicines dissolve more easily and are more effective.

Fig. 4: Applications of amylase (Lim et al., 2023).

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