Enzyme Engineering
Open Access

Role of Enzyme Purification Techniques and Importance

Harish Pawar^{* *}Correspondence: Dr. Harish Pawar, Department of Chemistry, Lovely Professional University, Phagwara, Punjab, India, Email:

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Description

Enzymes are biological catalysts that play a crucial role in various metabolic processes in living organisms. Substrates are the molecules that enzymes may interact upon, and the enzyme changes the substrates into other molecules known as products. They are widely used in industries such as food, pharmaceutical, and biotechnology. However, enzymes obtained from natural sources are often impure and require purification to be used effectively in industrial applications. Enzyme purification is a process of separating and isolating enzymes from other cellular components to obtain pure enzymes. Producing the maximum yield of the required enzyme with the highest catalytic activity and highest purity is the objective when choosing a purification technique.

Techniques for enzyme purification

Precipitation: Precipitation is the simplest and most commonly used technique for enzyme purification. It involves adding a salt or organic solvent to the enzyme solution, which causes the protein to precipitate out of solution. Then, centrifugation or filtering is used to collect the precipitate. This technique is suitable for enzymes that are relatively stable under the conditions required for precipitation.

Chromatography: Chromatography is a powerful technique for separating and purifying proteins. It involves passing a mixture of proteins through a column containing a solid matrix. The matrix is designed to interact selectively with different proteins, allowing them to be separated based on their physicochemical properties such as size, charge, and hydrophobicity. Different types of chromatography, such as ion exchange, size exclusion, and affinity chromatography, can be used depending on the properties of the enzyme to be purified.

Electrophoresis: Electrophoresis is a technique that separates proteins based on their charge and size using an electric field. It involves placing the enzyme solution on a gel matrix and applying an electric field. Proteins migrate through the gel based on their charge and size, allowing them to be separated and purified. This technique is commonly used in conjunction with other purification techniques such as chromatography.

Importance of enzyme purification

Enzyme purification is essential for various industrial applications of enzymes. The impurities present in the enzyme solution can affect the enzyme's stability, activity, and specificity, which can, in turn, affect the final product's quality and yield. Purified enzymes are more stable and active, and their specificity is higher, making them more efficient and effective in industrial processes.

Enzyme purification also allows for the study of enzyme's structure and function, which can aid in the development of new enzymes with improved properties. Understanding the structure and function of enzymes is critical for developing enzyme-based technologies that can contribute to sustainable industrial processes.

Conclusion

Enzyme purification is a crucial process for obtaining pure enzymes for various industrial applications. Different techniques such as precipitation, chromatography, and electrophoresis can be used depending on the properties of the enzyme to be purified. Enzyme purification also allows for the study of enzyme's structure and function, which can lead to the development of new enzymes with improved properties. The importance of enzyme purification in developing sustainable industrial processes cannot be overstated.