Cereal Chem 66:435-439   |  VIEW ARTICLE

Carbohydrate-Degrading Enzymes in Germinating Wheat.

A. M. Corder and R. J. Henry. Copyright 1989 by the American Association of Cereal Chemists, Inc. 

The production of carbohydrate-degrading enzymes was followed during the first five days of germination of wheat (cultivar Hartog). alpha-Amylase (EC 3.2.1.1) increased from the first day to reach a peak after four days. beta-(1-3)(1-4)-Glucanase (EC 3.2.1.73) increased from day one to day five. Endo-(1-4)-beta- xylanase (EC 3.2.1.8) activity increased only slowly until the fifth day when activity increased more than threefold. beta-Fructofuranosidase (EC 3.2.1.26) was not detected until the third day. Movement of hydrolytic enzymes into the endosperm and thus milling fractions may be controlled by enzymes degrading the cell walls. Staining with fluorescein dibutyrate indicated that on average more than 30% of the endosperm had been penetrated by lipase-esterase activity by the fifth day. All activities declined when the grain was dried at 30 C but the effect of drying varied. alpha-Amylase activity was reduced by 69%, whereas beta-amylase (EC 3.2.1.2) activity declined by only 16%. Residual activities of hydrolytic enzymes in sprouted wheat may be determined by environmental conditions during grain drying.