Mammalian alpha-amylases catalyze the hydrolysis of alpha-linked glucose polymers according to a complex processive mechanism. We have determined the X-ray structures of porcine pancreatic alpha-amylase complexes with the smallest molecule of the trestatin family (acarviosine-glucose) which inhibits porcine pancreatic alpha-amylase and yet is not hydrolyzed by the enzyme. A structure analysis at 1.38 A resolution of this complex allowed for a clear identification of a genuine single hexasaccharide species composed of two alpha-1,4-linked original molecules bound to the active site of the enzyme. The structural results supported by mass spectrometry experiments provide evidence for an enzymatically catalyzed condensation reaction in the crystal.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.