Starch Phosphorylase of Potato

Cori and his colleagues (l-6) discovered and elucidated the series of reversible chemical reactions by which glucose is transformed into glycogen in animal tissues. These reactions are catalyzed by a group of enzymes, the most fundamental of which is phosphorylase, the enzyme which catalyzes the condensation of glucose-l-phosphate (Cori ester) to starch or glycogen. The properties of phosphorylase from animal sources have been systematically investigated by Cori et al. (l-5), while Hanes (7, 8) discovered a similar enzyme in extracts from pea and potato, and made a thorough study of the crude potato enzyme. The present investigation deals with the preparation and some of the characteristics of purified potato phosphorylase.