Oxidation occurs at the C6 position. Galactose oxidase is mainly used in the quantitative diagnostic determination of galactose in blood and other biological fluids. Since galactose oxidase oxidizes galactose even in polysaccharides it has been used to locate galactose histochemically and to detect and distinguish glycoproteins.
Galactose oxidase has additional applications in cell surface research.
References Hamilton, G.A., DeJersey, J., and Adolf, P.K . The Complexities of a Simple Enzyme in Oxidases and Related Redox Systems, Vol. Enzymatic Determinations of Blood Galactose with Galactose Oxidase and Galactose Dehydrogenase. On the Role of a Cuprous Ion Intermediate in the Galactose Oxidase Reaction. The Molecular Properties of the Copper Enzyme Galactose Oxidase.