Transglucosidation by honey invertase.

In an investigation of the minor sugars of honey at this laboratory, examination by paper chromatography indicated that several oligosaccharides are present. These have not yet been identified. Since honey is the product of the reaction of honeybee (1) invertase with nectar sugars [sucrose, glucose, and fructose (2)], a comparison is being made of the sugars of honey with the oligosaccharides produced by the action of this invertase on sucrose. Considerable attention has recently been given to the production of oligosaccharide intermediates by transfructosidation during the action of yeast invertase on sucrose (3-6), but no reports of intermediate oligosaccharides formed by the honey invertase-sucrose reaction have been found in the literature. Comprehensive studies (7-9) of the properties of honey invertase C til demonstrated definite differences between the action of this enzyme and that of yeast invertase. The data are consistent with the view that honey invertase is a glucosaccharase, although it was not so stated. Gorbach and Schneiter (10) later concluded that honeybee sucrase is a glucoinvertase; the identity of their enzyme preparation, an extract of honeybees, and that occurring in honey was not demonstrated. In this paper the action of honey invertase on several sugars is reported. That the enzyme is a glucoinvertase is confirmed by chromatographic examination of its action on melezitose, raffinose, sucrose, and maltose, its inhibition by glucose, and the structure of the principal trisaccharide formed during sucrose inversion.