Alpha-amylase is classified as family 13 of the glycosyl hydrolases and is present in archaea, bacteria, fungi, plants and animals. Alpha-amylase is an essential enzyme in alpha-glucan metabolism, acting to catalyse the hydrolysis of alpha-1,4-glucosidic bonds of glycogen, starch and related polysaccharides. Although all alpha-amylases possess the same catalytic function, they can vary with … expand

Alpha-amylase is classified as family 13 of the glycosyl hydrolases and is present in archaea, bacteria, fungi, plants and animals. Alpha-amylase is an essential enzyme in alpha-glucan metabolism, acting to catalyse the hydrolysis of alpha-1,4-glucosidic bonds of glycogen, starch and related polysaccharides. Although all alpha-amylases possess the same catalytic function, they can vary with respect to sequence. In general, they are composed of three domains: a TIM barrel containing the active site residues and chloride ion-binding site (domain A), a long loop region inserted between the third β-strand and the α-helix of domain A that contains calcium-binding site(s) (domain B), and a C-terminal β-sheet domain that appears to show some variability in sequence and length between amylases (domain C) [ PUBMED:11141191 ]. Amylases have at least one conserved calcium-binding site, as calcium is essential for the stability of the enzyme. The chloride-binding functions to activate the enzyme, which acts by a two-step mechanism involving a catalytic nucleophile base (usually an Asp) and a catalytic proton donor (usually a Glu) that are responsible for the formation of the beta-linked glycosyl-enzyme intermediate.

This entry represents the alpha-amylase C-terminal domain.