Beta-Galactosidase

Beta-galactosidase, also known as lactase and beta-gal, is a family of enzymes that catalyze the hydrolysis of beta-galactosides into monosaccharides. A tetramer of four identical polypeptide chains, it can also cleave lactose to form glucose and galactose, as well as catalyze the transgalactosylation of lactose to allolactose. Allolactose can bind to the lacZ repressor and create the positive feedback loop that regulates the amount of beta-galactosidase in the cell. The activity of beta-galactosidase is commonly used in molecular biology, where its inducible expression in the lac operon (via the lacZ gene) serves as a reporter marker for gene expression. Visit the supplier page for more product information, including details on enzyme activity.