Action of beta-galactosidase on novel synthetic macromolecular substrates. A processive enzymic reaction controlled by coulombic interactions.

Macromolecular beta-galactosidase substrates were prepared by attaching o-nitrophenyl-beta-galactoside to carboxymethyldextran with positively charged linking groups. Almost all of the substituents were susceptible to enzymic hydrolysis by two distinct pathways. Under some conditions, there was random reaction to give a soluble product. In other conditions, in the initial stages of the reaction, most of the substituents of some, but not all, of the substrate polymers were hydrolyzed to give a product which precipitated as a second aqueous phase. Kinetics of hydrolysis were studied with respect to charge and molecular weight of both the enzyme and substrate. Factors that caused a decrease in Km favored formation of the second phase product. The reaction has similarities to the processive catalytic reactions found in naturally occurring enzyme systems with polymeric charged substrates.