How amylase enzyme works?

Amylase hydrolyzes starch into maltose.

Amylase enzyme, used in labs is not one enzyme, but a collection of many enzymes. So, when used, they break starch into maltose in several steps.

Starch is a polysaccharide which has two molecules types; amylose and amylo pectine, that are connected with 1-4 Glicosidic and 1-6 Glicosidic Bonds respectively.

Amylase, when mixed with starch, seperates starch into amylose, which is the ultimate result of amylopectine's 1-6 Glycosidic bonds being hydrolized.

Amylose will be hydrolyzed into short molecules of Glucose, which are called "Drecstinin".

Drecstinin will be hydrolyzed into maltose.

• Some peolpe misunderstands that amylase hydrolyzes starch into Glucose, which is incorrect. Amylase can't hydrolyse starch into Glucose though it is the basic unit of starch. When starch is broken upto maltose, breaking maltose into Glucose should be done with another enzyme called,"moltase".
• Sometimes, amylase solution in labs contains maltase with it. Then, moltose will be broken in to Glucose, without the need of any other enzyme. At all the other times, you need to add moltase seperately.

(Sorry for bad spellings.)

Here is a video of an enzyme demonstration I like to share with my students. The video shows how an enzyme (salivary amylase) present in our saliva (spit) can aid in the process of digestion by acting on starches present in the foods we eat.

video from: Noel Pauller

Hope this was helpful!