Effects of Detergents, Ions, and Organic Solvents on the Activity of Four Bacillus clausii Pectinases

Abstract

Four different pectinolytic enzyme activity essays were employed to detect different pectinases ofBacillus clausii from an extracellular protein cocktail. The mixture was obtained by ethanol precipitation.Dinitrosalicylic acid (DNS) and sodium hydroxide (NaOH) titrimetric methods were used for thepectinase assays. Each of the essays produced a positive result, indicating the presence of pectate lyase(PGL), pectin lyase (PL), pectin methyl esterase (PME), and polygalacturonase (PG). Activities of theseenzymes were then assessed at differing concentrations of NaCl, detergents (SDS and tweens), ionchelators, and organic solvents. Results, presented as histograms, were the indication of original findings,as most of them were new to the relevant literature.