Pullulan is an unusual, industrially important polysaccharide in which short alpha-1,4 chains (maltotriose) are connected in alpha-1,6 linkages. Enzymes that cleave alpha-1,6 linkages in pullulan and release maltotriose are called pullulanases although pullulan itself may not be the natural substrate. In contrast, a glycogen debranching enzyme such GlgX, homologous to this family, can release glucose at alpha,1-6 linkages from glycogen first subjected to limit degradation by phosphorylase. Characterized members of this family include a surface-located pullulanase from Streptococcus pneumoniae () and an extracellular bifunctional amylase/pullulanase with C-terminal pullulanase activity (.
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