Cellobiose metabolism in Aerobacter aerogenes. 3. Cleavage of cellobiose monophosphate by a phospho- -glucosidase.

An enzyme in extracts of Aerobacter aerogenes was shown to catalyze the hydrolytic cleavage of cellobiose monophosphate (6-0-phosphoryl-b-D-ghtcopyranosyl-(1 --f 4)-D-gillcase) to yield equimolar amounts of D-glucose and D-glucose 6-phosphate. The enzyme was partially purified and characterized. In addition to cellobiose monophosphate, it catalyzed the cleavage of cellobiitol phosphate, arbutin phosphate, salicin phosphate, gentiobiose phosphate, methyl P-D-glucoside phosphate, and phenyl P-D-glucoside phosphate, but not nonphosphorylated ,&glucosides.