Alpha‐glucosidase from the hepatopancreas of the shrimp, Penaus vannamei (Crustacea‐Decapoda)

Penaeus vannamei is an omnivorous species, and it can be assumed that a high level of carbohydrates is necessary for growth. Alpha-glucosidases are important enzymes necessary for the ultimate liberation of glucose residues from various carbohydrates. Using acarbose affinity chromatography, a glycosylated alpha-glucosidase with a molecular mass of approximately 105 kDa was isolated for the first time from the hepatopancreas of the shrimp. Exhibiting an optimal catalytic activity in the temperature range from 40°C to 50°C at pH 6, the purified enzyme hydrolyses α 1-4 bonds and liberates glucose from different oligo and polysaccharides. By contrast to other known glucosidases, no α 1-6 glucose link with hydrolysis has been observed. This could explain the different rates of growth in shrimp aquaculture with starches from various origins. The amino-acid composition, together with the partial sequence of a hydrolytic peptide, shows a high degree of similarity to the alpha-glucosidases reported for various organisms including yeast and fungi and may help determine the phylogeny of the family. J. Exp. Zool. 280:384–394, 1998. © 1998 Wiley-Liss, Inc.