African Journal of Biotechnology Vol. 3 (10) pp. 529-533, October 2004           
ISSN 1684–5315 © 2004 Academic Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Synergism of cockroach (Periplaneta americana) α-amylase and α-glucosidase hydrolysis of starches

Lucien Patrice Kouame^1*, Edmond Dué Ahipo¹, Sebastien Lamine Niamke²,

Françoise Akissi Kouame¹ and Alphonse Kamenan¹

¹Laboratoire de Biochimie et Technologie des Aliments de l’Unité de Formation et de Recherche en Sciences et Technologie des Aliments de l’Université d’Abobo-Adjamé (Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire), 02 BP 801 Abidjan 02, Côte d’Ivoire.

²Laboratoire de Biotechnologie de l’Unité de Formation et de Recherche en Biosciences de l’Université de Cocody (Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire),  22 BP 582 Abidjan 22, Côte d’Ivoire.

*Corresponding author. E-Mail: kouame_patrice@yahoo.fr, (Fax: (225) 20 37 81 18.

Accepted 15 September, 2004

Cockroach Periplaneta americana α-amylase hydrolysed starch to maltose and maltodextrin. However, this enzyme was not active against maltose and maltotriose (2 h of reaction). α-Glucosidase of the same organism exhibited activities toward maltose and maltodextrin to glucose. Synergism was observed especially between both enzymes to produce glucose for cockroach P. americana nutrition.

Key words: α-Amylase, α-glucosidase,  cockroach,  Periplaneta americana, synergism.