PURIFICATION AND MOLECULAR-PROPERTIES OF PAPAYA PECTINESTERASE

Pectinesterase (EC 3.1.1.11) was extracted and purified from papaya (C arica papaya L. var. exotica). The procedure adopted for purification resulted in an approximate 250-fold purification (784 units/mg protein ) with a 45% recovery of the pectinesterase activity. The enzyme was e luted in a single peak after CM-Sephadex and Sephadex G-100 chromatogr aphy. The purified enzyme had a uniform specific activity throughout t he final chromatographic peak. The enzyme preparation was confirmed to be of homogeneous state by gel filtration and non-denaturing polyacry lamide gel electrophoresis and it has a molecular weight of approximat ely 32 000 Da.