Synthesis of Oligosaccharides during Enzymatic Hydrolysis of Cellobiose by Aspergillus flavus

Abstract

DURING our investigations on the synthesis of oligosaccharides from simple sugars by various mould extracts it was found that the mycelial extract of Aspergillus flavus was capable of synthesizing oligosaccharides from cellobiose. The dialysed extracts of the mould converted cellobiose into glucose and four other saccharides, three of which occupy positions below cellobiose and one between cellobiose and glucose on the paper chromatogram. Similar observations were reported recently by Crook and Stone¹ by the action of Aspergillus niger on cellobiose. The substances were not identified. Barker et al. ² have recently reported the synthesis by Aspergillus niger (strain 152) of some oligosaccharides which were identified as β-linked glucosaccharides. In view of the importance of this reaction in carbohydrate metabolism and in the mechanism of the synthesis of oligosaccharides, we report in this communication the results obtained on the identification of the substances formed from cellobiose.