Investigations on Dextranase. I. On the Occurrence and the Assay of Dextranase.

Abstract

Examination of 30 different fungi showed that Penicillium funiculosum, P. lilacinum and Verticillium coccorum produced dextranase when grown in submerged culture in the presence of dextran as the only C source. In the presence of starch as the only C source, only amylase was produced. Dextranase activity was assayed viscometrically (Hultin, Acta Chem. Scand. 3: 697 1949), and by the iodometric detn. of liberated reducing sugars. Dextranase attacks all or almost all 1, 6 linkages of the dextran mol. with equal ease and does not break down the mol. from the ends.