An alternative approach for the synthesis of fluorogenic substrates of endo-β-(1→4)-xylanases and some applications

Fluorogenic substrates of endo-β-(1→4)-xylanases (EXs), 4-methylumbelliferyl β-glycosides of xylobiose and xylotriose were synthesized from fully acetylated oligosaccharides using the α-trichloroacetimidate procedure. A commercially available syrup containing xylose and xylo-oligosaccharides was used as the starting material. Both fluorogenic glycosides were found to be suitable substrates for EXs, particularly for sensitive detection of the enzymes in electrophoretic gels and their in situ localization on sections of fruiting bodies of some plants, such as tomato, potato and eggplant, all of the family Solanaceae.