The invention is directed to polypeptides having a glucosidase activity,
including an alpha-glucosidase activity, polynucleotides encoding the
polypeptides, and methods for making and using these polynucleotides and
polypeptides. In one aspect, the polypeptides of the invention are used
as alpha-glucosidases to catalyze the hydrolysis of starch into sugars,
e.g., to convert liquefied starch to glucose. In one aspect, the
polypeptides of the invention can catalyze the hydrolysis of both
alpha-(1,4) and alpha-(1,6) glucose linkages. In one aspect, the
polypeptides of the invention can catalyze the hydrolysis of both
malto-oligosaccharides and liquefied starch.