maltase

American  

[mawl-teys, -teyz] / ˈmɔl teɪs, -teɪz /

noun

Biochemistry.

1. an enzyme that converts maltose into glucose and causes similar cleavage of many other glucosides.

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maltase British  

/ ˈmɔːlteɪz /

noun

1. Also: α-glucosidase.  an enzyme that hydrolyses maltose and similar glucosides (α-glucosides) to glucose

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Etymology

Origin of maltase

First recorded in 1885–90; malt + -ase

Example Sentences

Starch and glycogen are broken down into glucose by amylase and maltase.

From Textbooks • Jun. 9, 2022

Saliva contains an enzyme called maltase, which starts chemical digestion in the mouth by breaking down carbohydrates.

From Textbooks • Jun. 9, 2022

For instance, carbohydrates are broken down by amylase, sucrase, lactase, or maltase.

From Textbooks • Jun. 9, 2022

The enzyme maltase decomposes it into glucose and mandelic nitrile glucoside; the latter is broken down by emulsin into glucose, benzaldehyde and prussic acid.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 12, Slice 2 "Gloss" to "Gordon, Charles George" by Various

When hydrolyzed, either by dilute acids or by maltase, one molecule of maltose yields two molecules of glucose.

From The Chemistry of Plant Life by Thatcher, Roscoe Wilfred