Abstract
THE view was long widely entertained that cells synthesize macromolecules of polysaccharides and proteins by a reversion of the process of hydrolysis. It has been suggested accordingly that the synthesis of the polyfructoside levan specifically from aldo-sido< >fructofuranosides (sucrose, raffinose) involves two distinct steps: first, hydrolysis of the substrate; secondly, polymerization of fructofuranose by a condensation involving removal of water1. Bacteria which form levan from sucrose do so also from raffinose2. This polymerative type of sucrose degradation is concurrent with an ordinary hydrolytic inversion3,4. The same bacteria ferment levan3. Investigators might be tempted by these correlations to consider the enzyme system, levansucrase, to be but a mixture of invertase and polyfructosidase. It is shown below, however, that this view cannot be valid.
Similar content being viewed by others
Article PDF
References
Smith, G., Proc. Linn. Soc., N.S. Wales, 26, 593 (1901).
Hibbert, et al., Can. J. Res., 4, 221, 596 (1931).
Hestrin et al., Biochem. J., 37, 450 (1943); Nature, 149, 527 (1942).
Hestrin and Avineri-Shapiro, Nature, 152, 49 (1943).
Owen, J. Bact., 8, 420 (1923).
Norman, "The Biochemistry of Cellulose, Lignin, Polyuronides, etc." (Oxford, 1937).
Hestrin and Avineri-Shapiro, Biochem. J., 38, 2 (1944).
Isbell and Pigman, J. Res., U.S. Nat. Bur. Stand., 20, 773 (1938).
Doudoroff, J. Biol. Chem., 151, 358 (1943).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
HESTRIN, S. Alleged Role of Fructofuranose in the Synthesis of Levan. Nature 154, 581 (1944). https://doi.org/10.1038/154581a0
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/154581a0
This article is cited by
-
Lævanpolyase
Nature (1953)
Comments
By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.