Purification and Properties of Polyphenol Oxidase from Loquat Fruit

Polyphenol oxidase (PPO) was purified to homogeneity from loquat ( Eriobotrya japonica Lindl. cv. Mogi) fruit. The enzyme was purified 422-fold with a total yield of 35.6%. The molecular weight was estimated to be about 58 000 and 55 000 by SDS−PAGE and FPLC gel filtration chromatography, respectively, indicating that PPO is a monomer. The optimum pH and temperature of the enzyme activity were found to be pH 4.5 and 30 °C, respectively, and the enzyme was stable in the range of pH 4−8. In substrate specificity, a maximum activity was shown with epicatechin, followed by chlorogenic acid, neochlorogenic acid, 4-methylcathechol, and pyrocatechol, and no activity was apparent toward monophenol and p -diphenol. The K m values for chlorogenic and neochlorogenic acids were 0.105 and 0.425 mM, respectively. The enzyme activity was markedly inhibited by sodium ascorbate, diethyldithiocarbamate, metabisulfide, dithiothreitol, mercaptoethanol, NaF, NaN 3, l -cysteine, and reduced glutathione. Keywords: Polyphenol oxidase; loquat fruit; Eriobotrya japonica Lindl.; polyphenols; browning