A convenient enzymatic‐chemical method for degradation of microamounts of glucose

Abstract

AbstractA convenient method for degradation of 1 micromole of glucose is described. The hexose is split enzymatically to triose phosphate. In one half of this solution glyceraldehyde‐3‐phosphate is converted enzymatically to alkali stable 3‐phosphoglycerate, in the other half, dehydroxyacetone phosphate to alkali stable glycerol‐3‐phosphate. In each sample the enzymatically unconverted triose phosphate is hydrolized by alkali to lactic acid which is oxidized by ceriumIV to acetaldehyde and carbon dioxide. Acetaldehyde is degraded further to iodo form and formic acid. The latter is oxidized to carbon dioxide.The omitting laborious chromatographic separation procedurs as well as the isolation of degradation products by two step microdiffusion in a single vessel and their trapping by reagents directly applicable for photometric quantification and measurement of radioactivity makes the procedure time saving and easily performable. These advantages compensate for the loss of 50% of glucose carbon.