amylolysis

Amylolysis is the enzymatic hydrolysis of starch into smaller carbohydrate units, carried out by amylase enzymes. Starch, composed mainly of the glucose polymers amylose and amylopectin, is cleaved to maltose, maltotriose, dextrins, and glucose by amylolysis, depending on the enzyme and conditions.

Enzymes involved include alpha-amylase, beta-amylase, and glucoamylase, each with distinct action patterns. Alpha-amylase cleaves internal α-1,4 glycosidic bonds to rapidly reduce starch size; beta-amylase removes maltose from chain ends; glucoamylase releases glucose from the non-reducing ends of chains.

In human digestion, amylolysis begins in the mouth with salivary amylase and continues in the small intestine with pancreatic amylase, producing maltose, maltotriose, and dextrins that are further broken down by brush-border enzymes to glucose. The activity of amylases is influenced by factors such as pH and temperature, with human enzymes optimized for neutral to mildly acidic conditions and physiological temperatures.

Industrial and natural contexts: amylolysis is central to starch processing and fermentation. In brewing and baking, amylases from barley or other sources convert starches into fermentable sugars; in syrup production, amylases generate maltose-rich syrups. Microbial amylases are widely used in detergents, paper processing, and bioethanol production, often engineered for higher thermostability and activity under process conditions.

Overall, amylolysis plays a key role in digestion and in a range of industrial applications that rely on controlled starch breakdown into usable sugars.