Isolation, characterization and inhibition by acarbose of the alpha-amylase from Lactobacillus fermentum: comparison with Lb. manihotivorans and Lb. plantarum amylases.

Extracellular alpha-amylase from Lactobacillus fermentum (FERMENTA) was purified by glycogen precipitation and ion exchange chromatography. The purification was approximately 28-fold with a 27% yield. The FERMENTA molecular mass (106,000 Da) is in the same range as the ones determined for L. amylovorus (AMYLOA), L. plantarum (PLANTAA) and L. manihotivorans (MANIHOA) alpha-amylases. The amino acid composition of FERMENTA differs from the other lactobacilli considered here, but however, indicates that the peptidic sequence contains two equal parts: the N-terminal catalytic part; and the C-terminal repeats. The isoelectric point of FERMENTA, PLANTAA, MANIHOA are approximately the same (3.6). The FERMENTA optimum pH (5.0) is slightly more acidic and the optimum temperature is lower (40 degrees C). Raw starch hydrolysis catalyzed by all three amylases liberates maltotriose and maltotretaose. Maltose is also produced by FERMENTA and MANIHOA. Maltohexaose FERMENTA catalyzed hydrolysis produces maltose and maltotriose. Finally, kinetics of FERMENTA, PLANTAA and MANIHOA using amylose as a substrate and acarbose as an inhibitor, were carried out. Statistical analysis of kinetic data, expressed using a general velocity equation and assuming rapid equilibrium, showed that: (1) in the absence of inhibitor k(cat)/Km are, respectively, 1x10(9), 12.6x10(9) and 3.2x10(9) s(-1) M(-1); and (2) the inhibition of FERMENTA is of the mixed non-competitive type (K(1i)=5.27 microM; L(1i)=1.73 microM) while the inhibition of PLANTAA and MANIHOA is of the uncompetitive type (L(1i)=1.93 microM and 1.52 microM, respectively). Whatever the inhibition type, acarbose is a strong inhibitor of these Lactobacillus amylases. These results indicate that, as found in porcine and barley amylases, Lactobacillus amylases contain in addition to the active site, a soluble carbohydrate (substrate or product) binding site.