Characteristic Features of an ${\alpha}-Galactosidase$ from Penicillium purpurogenum

A ${\alpha}-galactosidase{\;}({\alpha}-D-galactoside$ galactohydrolase; EC 3.2.1.22) was purified from the culture filtrate of Penicillium purpurogenum by DEAE-cellulose column chromatography, gel filtration of Bio gel p-l00, and subsequent SP-Sephadex C-25 chromatography. The final preparation thus obtained showed a single band on polyacrylamide disc-gel and SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The molecular weight and isoelectric point were determined to be 63,000 and pH 4.0 by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and isoelectric focusing, respectively. The galactosidase exhibited maximum activity at pH 4.5 and $55^{\circ}C$, and was stable between pH 2 and 5, and also stable up to $40^{\circ}C$. The enzyme activity was not affected considerably by treatment with other metal compounds except mercuric chloride and silver nitrate. Copra galactomannan was finally hydrolyzed to galactose, mannose and mannobiose through the sequential actions of the purified galactosidase and mannanase from the same strain. The enzyme hydrolyzed melibiose and raffinose, but not lactose.