Effect of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide on the activity of particulate starch synthetase from potato tuber.

The action of some detergents on the incorporation of glucose from uridine diphosphate glucose or adenosine diphosphate glucose into the potato tuber starch grain was studied. It was found that the cationic detergent, cetyltrimethylammonium bromide, produces a rapid binding of both sugar nucleotides to the grain and a great increase in the incorporation of glucose into the polysaccharide. Kinetic constants of starch synthetase are also modified, there being an affinity increase for both sugar nucleotides. Neutral detergents are without effect and anionic detergents are inhibitors.