Partial purification and characterization of neutral trehalase from commercial baker's yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae

The neutral trehalase of a commercial baker's yeast (S. cerevisiae) strain has been partially purified using ammonium sulfate fractionation and DEAE-c ellulose column chromatography techniques. Trehalase was precipitated betwe en 35-50% ammonium sulfate saturation and approximately 5-8 fold purificati on was achieved. The yeast cAMP-dependent protein kinase was also precipita ted in the same fraction and these two proteins were separated by DEAE-cell ulose column chromatography. Trehalase became totally inactive after ion ex change chromatography, "cryptic trehalase" (tre-c), but was later activated with the addition of partially purified protein kinase together with cAMP and ATP. A 215 fold purification was obtained after DEAE-cellulose column c hromatography. One mM EDTA caused complete inhibition of the enzyme in crud e extract, however the inhibition levels in ammonium sulfate and DEAE-cellu lose fractions were 73.5% and 50%, respectively. Optimal pH range and tempe rature of the enzyme were determined as pH 6-6.8 and 30C, respectively. The kinetic parameters, K-m and V-max, were estimated as 11.78 mM trehalose an d 12.47 mu mole glucose/min-mg protein, respectively.