Action pattern of salivary amylase

Amylotriose and amylotetraose have been separated from salivary amylase digests by carbon chromatography. Crystalline 1-phenyl flavazole derivatives of both compounds have been prepared;Comparative salivary amylase hydrolysis rates for amylotriose, amylotetraose, amyloheptaose and amylodextrin were determined;Linear radioactive oligosaccharides have been prepared by the coupling reaction of macerans amylase on alpha-dextrin and radioglucose. These have been shown to be labeled only at the reducing glucose unit. The reaction of salivary amylase on the members G3 to G7 has been studied by paper chromatography. Examination of the activity of the hydrolytic products has led to the following general definition of bond specificity by the enzyme: those bonds within two links of the non-reducing end and within one link of the reducing end are hydrolyzed much faster than the remaining three bonds. The two terminal links are extremely resistant and the link second from the non-reducing end is intermediate between these and internal linkages;Singly branched limit dextrins have been obtained by the extensive action of salivary amylase on waxy maize starch;Evidence has been presented that the doubly branched limit dextrins consist of oligosaccharides containing only one glucose unit between branch points. The dextrins consist of compounds having from two to six glucose units distributed among three possible positions, 1, 2 or 3, of this basic structure.