Classification of Carbohydrases

A system for the classification of the carbohydrases has been proposed by Weidenhagen, and, although it has considerable value, it also has a number of obvious deficiencies. It is demonstrated in the present paper that many of these difficulties may be obviated by considering the individual enzymes of Weidenhagen, e. g., a-glucosidase, as classes of enzymes of similar action but varying according to the source. The results of more recent studies of the specifJcity of the carbohydrases are considered, and the action of enzymes on pentoses, h .. xoses, and heptoses of similar ring conformations is interpreted. These results aud the conception of the complex nature of Weidenhagen's individual enzyme!> are utilized in the establishment of a provisional system for the classification of the carbohydrases.