Colorimetric Detection of Acetyl Xylan Esterase Activities

Galina Mai-Gisondi; Emma R Master

doi:10.1007/978-1-4939-6899-2_5

Colorimetric Detection of Acetyl Xylan Esterase Activities

Methods Mol Biol. 2017:1588:45-57. doi: 10.1007/978-1-4939-6899-2_5.

Authors

Galina Mai-Gisondi¹, Emma R Master²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Bioproducts and Biosystems, Aalto University, 00076, Kemistintie 1, Espoo, Aalto, Finland.
² Department of Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry, University of Toronto, 200 College Street, Toronto, ON, M5S 3E5, Canada. emma.master@utoronto.ca.

PMID: 28417360
DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-6899-2_5

Abstract

Colorimetric detection of reaction products is typically preferred for initial surveys of acetyl xylan esterase (AcXE) activity. This chapter will describe common colorimetric methods, and variations thereof, for measuring AcXE activities on commercial, synthesized, and natural substrates. Whereas assays using pNP-acetate, α-naphthyl acetate, and 4-methylumbelliferyl acetate (4MUA) are emphasized, common methods used to measure AcXE activity towards carbohydrate analogs (e.g., acetylated p-nitrophenyl β-D-xylopyranosides) and various acetylated xylans are also described. Strengths and limitations of the colorimetric assays are highlighted.

Keywords: 4-Methylumbelliferyl acetate; Acetyl xylan esterase; Acetylated xylooligosaccharides; Colorimetric assays; pNP-acetate; α-Naphthyl acetate; β-Xylosidase-coupled assay.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Acetylesterase / chemistry*
Acetylesterase / metabolism
Colorimetry / methods*
Enzyme Assays / methods
Plants / chemistry
Substrate Specificity
Xylans / metabolism

Substances

Xylans
Acetylesterase
acetylxylan esterase