Purification and Some Kinetic Parameters of Endo-1,4-β-glucanase From Digestive Tracts of Giant African Land Snail (<i>Achatina achatina</i>)

Abstract

Crude endo-1,4-β-glucanase was extracted from the digestive tracts of matured A. achatina and subjected to a 3-step purification process  of 40% ammonium sulphate saturation, dialysis and gel filtration. This yielded 60.52 purification fold with three prominent peaks in the  chromatogram, designated A, B, and C with Peak A having relatively high endoglucanase activity and optimum pH and temperature of 7.5  and 45o C respectively. The kinetic studies showed a V_max and Km of 955.11 μmole/min and 2.39 mg of Sodium Carboxymethyl  Cellulose. This study showed that endoglucanase component of cellulase from digestive tracts of A. achatina could be used to degrade  cellulose-containing materials and may find applications in laundry, detergent, pulp and paper industries.