Abstract
Although the current literature contains references to four plant debranching enzymes-isoamylase, limit dextrinase, pullulanase and R-enzyme, the last three names are alternatives for the same enzyme, and only two plant debranching enzymes are, in fact, known. Moreover, the name pullulanase includes enzymes from both plant and microbial sources, even though these differ significantly in their ability to act on glycogen. To avoid any possible confusion or ambiguity, it is suggested that the second plant debranching enzyme should be known by the original name of limit dextrinase, rather than R-enzyme, and that the name pullulanase should be confined to enzymes of bacterial origin.
