Biochemical‐technological Studies on Wet‐Processing of Maize. Part 4. On the Qualitative Composition of the Maize Hydrolase System and the Activity of Particular Enzymes Respectively Enzyme Groups.
Enzyme preparations have been isolated from the maize meal by means of water extraction and following protein precipitation (ethanol, ammonium sulphate, acetone). Cleaning or concentration operations have been left out, in order to preserve the enzyme system of the maize in its totality
By paper chromatographical studies on these preparations as well as special activity deter minations a‐ and β‐ amylase could be traced in the ungerminated as well as in the germinated maize and the presence of phosphorylase could be confirmed. For enzymatic handling of the non‐gelatinized starch a‐ amylase is above all convenient, but slight degradation by β‐amylase cannot be overlooked.
By means of paper chromatography and reductometry β‐fructofuranosidase, a‐glucosidase, β‐glucosidase could be clearly traced in the germinated and ungerminated maize. a‐Galactosidase could be traced with some reservation. Matters in this group have in common the faculty for hydrolysis and synthesis of glucosidic bondings. Proteinase and lipase have been traced in all preparations, peptidase exclusively in those from germinated maize and their activities have been determined.
Of all the maize sorts examined, hard maize shows higher activities with all enzyme species compared to dent maize.