Comparative studies on a mesophilic and a thermophilic α-amylase

A comparative study was performed on thermal stability of mesophilic and thermophilic α-amylases, and the effects of various denaturing agents, organic solvents, and stabilizers were investigated. As expected, the thermophilic enzyme showed higher resistance toward denaturation in water as its natural medium, but such a difference could not be detected in nonaqueous environments. Furthermore, stability of these molecules was improved by including various stabilizing agents. Of the compounds tested, sorbitol provided the highest degree of protection, which was found to be owing to its effect on increasing T _m and its ability in totally preventing deamidation of amino acid residues in the protein molecules.     

Immobilization of α-amylase in vinyl-polymer-based interpenetrating polymer networks

Semi-interpenetrating polymer networks (IPNs) of poly(ethylene glycol), poly(vinyl alcohol) and polyacrylamide were prepared as a support for enzyme immobilization and kinetic studies were performed for the immobilization of -amylase. The effect of IPN composition on the extent of immobilization was investigated and the percentage of relative activity of the immobilized enzyme was evaluated as a function of the chemical architecture of the IPNs, pH and temperature, taking starch as a substrate. The kinetic constants and the maximum reaction velocity were also evaluated. The IPNs were characterized by IR spectral analysis.     

Biodegradation of soluble redox polymers. Part 2: (0.017ferrocene)amylose at a rotating disk electrode

The behavior of (ferrocene)amylose (FA), in the presence of amylolytic depolymerases (α-amylase from Aspergillus oryzae and human saliva), has been investigated by cyclic voltammetry at a rotating disk electrode (CVA/RDE). Growth of the limiting current with time in the presence of the enzymes is proportional to the amount of enzyme introduced. The quantitative data treatment to assay the endoamylolytic activity of enzymes at CVA/RDE involves plotting (i_dt/i_d0)^4.5 against time; the slope of the linear plot being equal to (rate) M_n0C⁻¹, where i_dt and i_d0 are the limiting currents at time t and 0, respectively, (rate) is the enzymatic activity, M_n0 is the number averaged molecular weight of FA at t = 0, and c is its concentration. The comparison of CVA/RDE with the 3,5-dinitrosalicylic acid and the Somogyi–Nelson reducing saccharides procedures shows advantages of the former, especially in assaying small quantities of enzymes. Also the CVA/RDE approach is simpler and takes place under much milder conditions. The main disadvantage of CVA/RDE is the inhibiting effect of Triton X-100 in the reaction between FA and the amylases which is not observed in the case of native, ferrocene-free amylose. In general, CVA/RDE appears to be an attractive analytical method for monitoring diverse enzymatic depolymerization reactions.     

Synthesis and α-amylase inhibitory activity of glucose-deoxynojirimycin conjugates

Inhibitors of α-amylase have attracted attention for their putative effects against diabetes mellitus. Although numerous studies have explored natural small molecule inhibitors, acarbose is currently the only compound with sufficient inhibitory potency and drug-like characteristics to be considered as a potential therapeutic agent. We have synthesized conjugates of the potent glucosidase inhibitor, 1-deoxynojirimycin, and glucose, with the aim of enhancing inhibitory activity against α-amylase. This synthetic conjugate showed increased inhibition of α-amylase compared to 1-deoxynojirimycin alone, suggesting that similar modifications of existing glucosidase inhibitors may yield more potent α-amylase inhibitors.     

Synthesis,biological evaluation and molecular docking studies of novel benzimidazole derivatives

A novel series of N-substituted-benzimidazolyl linked para substituted benzylidene based molecules containing three pharmacologically potent hydrogen bonding parts namely; 2,4-thiazolidinedione (TZD: a 2,4-dicarbonyl), diethyl malonate (DEM: a 1,3-diester and an isooxazolidinedione analog) and methyl acetoacetate (MAA: a β-ketoester) (6a–11b) were synthesized and evaluated for in vitro α-glucosidase inhibition. The structure of the novel synthesized compounds was confirmed through the spectral studies (LC–MS, ¹H NMR, ¹³C NMR, FT-IR). Comparative evaluation of these compounds revealed that the compound 9b showed maximum inhibitory potential against α-amylase and α-glucosidase giving an IC₅₀ value of 0.54 ± 0.01 μM. Furthermore, binding affinities in terms of G score values and hydrogen bond interactions between all the synthesized compounds and the AA residues in the active site of the protein (PDB code: 3TOP) to that of Acarbose (standard drug) were explored with the help of molecular docking studies. Compound 9b was considered as promising candidate of this series.     

Statistical Characterization of Succinoylated Dextrin Degradation Behavior in Human α-Amylase

Dextrin is a biomedically well-established, water-soluble polymer that has recently attracted considerable interest for conjugation to bioactive payloads. Succinoylation functionalizes dextrin and alters the rate at which it is degraded by human amylase, providing the bases for a convenient, controlled drug release technology. To date, the choice of a succinoylated dextrin intermediate requires laborious physicochemical characterization of entire libraries of succinoylated dextrin intermediates. We report the governance of dextrin degradation as a function of initial polymer molecular weight and degree of succinoylation through statistical analysis of a library of succinoylated dextrins relevant to acute disease (parent-dextrin molecular weight: 8,100 to 28,900 g/mol; 0 to 14.5 mol% succinoylation) at a typical physiologic concentration of human amylase (100 IU/L). Within these parameters, the rate of degradation of all succinoylated dextrins was best predicted by logarithmic regression. The contribution of degree of succinoylation to the variance in the degradation rate increased progressively and substantially with decreasing initial polymer weight (4.19% to 21.33%). These results facilitate the choice of succinoylated dextrin intermediates in the construction of controlled-release constructs, increase relevance to clinical scenarios requiring specific controlled-release rates, and contribute to the adoption of succinoylated dextrin as a versatile polymer for conjugation in controlled-release therapeutics.     

Effect of ultrasound on the activity and conformation of α-amylase,papain and pepsin

The effect of ultrasound on the activity of α-amylase, papain and pepsin was investigated and the mechanism of the effect was explored by determining their conformational changes. With the irradiation of power ultrasound, the activity of α-amylase and papain was inhibited, while the activity of pepsin was activated. According to the analysis of circular dichroism, Fourier transform infrared and fluorescence spectroscopy, the π_o → π¹ amide transitions and secondary structural components, especially β-sheet, of these three enzymes were significantly influenced by ultrasound. The tryptophan fluorescence intensity of the three enzymes was also observed to be affected by sonication. Furthermore, it was found that the pepsin molecule might gradually be resistant to prolonged ultrasonic treatment and recover from the ultrasound-induced damage to its original structure. The results suggested that the activity of α-amylase, papain and pepsin could be modified by ultrasonic treatment mainly due to the variation of their secondary and tertiary structures.     

Synthesis and biological evaluation of carbohydrate appended hydrazinocyclopentenes with potent glycation and α-glucosidase inhibition activities

Synthesis and biological evaluation of novel alkylidenecyclopentene glycohybrids via palladium and click chemistry are described. Out of the six molecules synthesized, four molecules were screened against α-glucosidase, α-amylase, and glycation reactions. The results showed that the compound 7f with a galactose appendage is a good α-glucosidase inhibitor and a potent anti-glycation agent under in vitro conditions with an IC₅₀ value of 0.075 μM and 0.022 μM, respectively. The toxicity of the compounds against normal cell lines was checked by MTT assay.     

A HPLC method for specific determination ofα-amylase and glucoamylase in complex enzymatic preparations

Summary In the hydrolysis of soluble starch by mixtures of α-amylase and glucoamylase, the ratios maltose/glucose and maltoriose/glucose linearly depend, over a wide range, on the relation between both enzymes and are independent on the activity level of the enzymatic preparation. HPLC determination of hydrolysis products (glucose, maltose and maltotriose) of soluble starch by mixtures of these enzymes, after incubation under controlled conditions, is a rapid method for the evaluation of the relative levels of each enzyme in the mixtures. The method, first developed using pure commercial amylases, is applied, with consistent results, to cell free media ofAspergillus niger cultures on a glycogen-rich effluent.