maltases

Maltases are enzymes that catalyze the hydrolysis of maltose, a disaccharide of two glucose units linked by an alpha-1,4 bond, into two free glucose molecules. They are a subset of alpha-glucosidases and occur in diverse organisms, including humans, yeasts, bacteria, and plants. In many microbes, maltases are encoded by MAL operons or families and function alongside maltose transport systems to enable growth on maltose and related oligosaccharides.

In humans, maltase activity in digestion is provided by the intestinal enzyme maltase-glucoamylase (MGAM), which is anchored to the brush border of enterocytes and possesses maltase activity. The enzyme hydrolyzes maltose produced by the digestion of starch and other dextrins, yielding glucose that can be absorbed.

Yeast and other fungi use maltases to metabolize maltose during fermentation. Yeast maltases typically arise from MAL genes and act to convert maltose to glucose, supporting growth on maltose-rich media and contributing to fermentation processes such as brewing. Bacterial maltases serve similar purposes in maltose utilization and carbohydrate metabolism.

Industrially, maltases are used to convert maltose-rich syrups or starch hydrolysates into glucose, aiding glucose production for fermentation, sweetener production, and various food processing applications. They may be sourced from fungal, bacterial, or yeast enzymes and can be used in enzyme preparations for starch processing or in vitro digestion studies.