SELECTION OF BIVALVE SPECIES CONTAINING HIGHLY-ACTIVE PROTEASE AND DETERMINATION OF SOME PROPERTIES OF ENZYME

Abstract

Protease is able to hydrolyze the proteins into peptides and amino acids or known as hydrolyzed protein which is popularly used in many industries. In this study, we extracted the protease from some bivalve species and determined some properties of this enzyme. Evaluation of proteolytic activity from some bivalve species was carried out using the modified Anson’s method. The results showed the short-neck clam (Paphia undulata) contained highly active proteases. The optimum conditions for extraction of protease from the short-neck clam were determined as follows: ratio of sample to phosphate buffer at 1/2; extraction temperature at 35 °C and extraction duration of 10 minutes. This protease activity is the best at 50 oC, pH 5.5 and hydrolysis for 5 hours.
Keywords: Protease, bivalve, Paphia undulata, Mimachlamys nobilis, Anadara subcrenata