Effects of cyclodextrins on the hydrolysis of ganglioside GM1 by acid beta-galactosidases.

The hydrolysis of ganglioside GM1 by acid beta-galactosidases was greatly enhanced by the inclusion of heptakis(2,6-di-O-methyl)-beta-cyclodextrin or alpha-cyclodextrin in the assay mixture. The other cyclodextrins tested were not effective. The extent of stimulation by these cyclodextrins was relatively smaller than those by taurodeoxycholate and taurochenodeoxycholate. However, it is suggested that stimulation by bile salts may be partly a reflection of the detergent effects of bile salts on GM1 and partly a reflection of the interaction between bile salts and the enzyme itself. On the other hand, the stimulation by the cyclodextrins seems to correlate to the formation of an inclusion complex between GM1 and cyclodextrin without enzyme protein interaction.