Proteolytic enzymes from Bromelia antiacantha as tools for controlled tissue hydrolysis in entomology.

A crude extract with high proteolytic activity (78.1 EU/mL), prepared from ripe fruit of Bromelia antiacantha was used to hydrolyze and remove soft tissues from the epigyne of Apopyllus iheringi. This enzymatic extract presented four actives isoforms which have a broad substrate specificity action.

Granulosain I, a cysteine protease isolated from ripe fruits of Solanum granuloso-leprosum (Solanaceae).

A new cysteine peptidase (Granulosain I) was isolated from ripe fruits of Solanum granuloso-leprosum Dunal (Solanaceae) by means of precipitation with organic solvent and cation exchange chromatography. The enzyme showed a single band by SDS-PAGE, its molecular mass was 24,746 Da (MALDI-TOF/MS) and its isoelectric point was higher than 9.3.

Biocatalyst-adsorbant systems: a viable alternative to proteolytic processes in solution.

Proteolytic biocatalysts were adsorbed and stabilized using alumina as a support medium. Two biocatalyst-adsorbant systems were prepared with different physical characteristics of the adsorbant: alumina powder and alumina pearls. Direct adsorption onto the support medium has the main advantage, over other fixation methods, that preliminary steps are not required for a good interaction between the support and the biocatalyst.