Enzyme Activity Measurement for Dextransucrase

Equipped with the most advanced instruments, Creative Enzymes provides innovative services of enzyme activity assays and offers leading technical support and personalized customer service found nowhere else in the industry. Here, we are proud to provide the accurate catalytic quantification for dextransucrase.

Dextransucrase (EC 2.4.1.5) is an extracellular enzyme that belongs to the glycoside hydrolase family (GH70), and this enzyme is of immense industrial importance owing to its dextran- and prebiotic oligosaccharide-synthesizing properties. Dextransucrase catalyzes the formation of dextran by transfer of the D-glucosyl moieties of sucrose to a growing chain, and the free glucosyl moieties are polymerized to form a homopolysaccharide dextran. Besides the synthesis of dextrans, dextransucrases also catalyze secondary transglycosylation reactions in which the D-glucose moiety of sucrose is transferred to mono- and oligosaccharides present or added to the digest to give oligosaccharide products. This is called an “acceptor reaction” and occurs at the expense of dextran synthesis. This enzyme is generally produced by lactic acid bacteria, such as Leuconostoc and Streptococcus. It has been reported that dextransucrase exists in either single or multiple molecular forms with varying molecular masses ranging from 64 to 245 kDa. Metal ions such as Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, Fe²⁺, and Co²⁺ have been reported to stimulate the activity of extracellular dextransucrase, while inhibitors like urea and ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid (EDTA) have been reported to inactivate the activity of extracellular dextransucrase.

Figure: The crystal structure of Leuconostoc mesenteroides NRRL B-1299 N-terminally truncated dextransucrase DSR-E in triclinic form.
PDB: 3TTO

Dextran produced by dextransucrase has gained a lot of importance because of its commercial applications in clinical, pharmaceutical, food, photo film, fine chemical, and other industries, whereas oligosaccharides can be used as prebiotics, which helps intestinal microflora by increasing the number of bifidobacteria and lactic acid bacteria. Thus it can be seen that dextransucrase plays an important role in various aspects and it is considerably important to be able to monitor the activity of dextransucrase to investigate its functional significance.

Creative Enzymes is your best choice for the rapid and precise measurement of dextransucrase activity. The assay is performed by following the release of reducing sugar using the Nelson-Somogyi method. The absorbance of the color developed is measured at 500 nm using an ultraviolet (UV)–visible spectrophotometer. Fully equipped with the most advanced spectrophotometric instruments and a remarkable scientist team, Creative Enzymes ensures that the results of our projects are delivered in a professional and timely manner.