Characterization, subsite mapping and N-terminal sequence of miliin, a serine-protease isolated from the latex of Euphorbia milii

Euphorbia species latex: A comprehensive review on phytochemistry and biological activities

The genus Euphorbia includes about 2,000 species commonly widespread in both temperate and tropical zones that contain poisonous milky juice fluid or latex. Many species have been used in traditional and complementary medicine for the treatment of various health issues such as dropsy, paralysis, deafness, wounds, warts on the skin, and amaurosis. The medicinal applications of these species have been attributed to the presence of various compounds, and most studies on Euphorbia species have focused on their latex. In this review, we summarize the current state of knowledge on chemical composition and biological activities of the latex from various species of the genus Euphorbia. Our aim was to explore the applications of latex extracts in the medical field and to evaluate their ethnopharmacological potential. The databases employed for data collection, are obtained through Web of Science, PubMed, Google Scholar, Science Direct and Scopus, from 1983 to 2022. The bibliographic data indicate that terpenoids are the most common secondary metabolites in the latex. Furthermore, the latex has interesting biological properties and pharmacological functions, including antibacterial, antioxidant, free radical scavenger, cytotoxic, tumor, anti-inflammatory, healing, hemostatic, anti-angiogenic, insecticidal, genotoxic, and mutagenic activities. However, the role of other components in the latex, such as phenolic compounds, alkaloids, saponins, and flavonoids, remains unknown, which limits the application of the latex. Future studies are required to optimize the therapeutic use of latex extracts.

Production of Plant Proteases and New Biotechnological Applications: An Updated Review

An updated review of emerging plant proteases with potential biotechnological application is presented. Plant proteases show comparable or even greater performance than animal or microbial proteases for by-product valorization through hydrolysis for, for example, cheese whey, bird feathers, collagen, keratinous materials, gelatin, fish protein, and soy protein. Active biopeptides can be obtained as high added value products, which have shown numerous beneficial effects on human health. Plant proteases can also be used for wastewater treatment. The production of new plant proteases is encouraged for the following advantages: low cost of isolation using simple procedures, remarkable stability over a wide range of operating conditions (temperature, pH, salinity, and organic solvents), substantial affinity to a broad variety of substrates, and possibility of immobilization. Vegetable proteases have enormous application potential for the valorization of industrial waste and its conversion into products with high added value through low-cost processes.

A systematic reconsideration on proteases

Proteases are a group of large complex enzyme molecules that perform highly focused proteolysis functions. A vast quantity of the protease enzymes is predominantly sourced from microbial fermentation process, although proteases tend to natively present in plant, animals and humans. Proteases possess a pervasive importance in medical and pharmaceutical sector, because of its enriched specificity towards biomolecules. They are also actively encompassed in regulating certain physiological pathways. A distinct territory of human disorders is treated by substrate specific proteases. Enormous numbers of catalytic activities in habitual metabolism process of a living organism are protease dependent. Pilot scale researches and product development in industrial biotechnology sectors are wholly based on any one of the protease enzymes. The applications of the protease enzymes and its economic benefits of being an eco-friendly material are far-reaching. This review presents a brief overview on the classification and sources of various types of proteases. We describe the essential evidences of role of protease in different sectors. The proteases could be a potential relieves to harmful synthetic chemicals in distinctive industrial processes and thus gains global perception.

Antibacterial serine protease from Wrightia tinctoria: Purification and characterization

A serine protease was purified from the leaves of Wrightia tinctoria by sequential flow through method comprising screening, optimization, ammonium sulfate precipitation, gel filtration and ion exchange column chromatography. The yield and purification fold obtained were 11.58% and 9.56 respectively. A single band of serine protease was visualized on SDS-PAGE and 2-D gel electrophoretic analyses were revealed with the molecular mass of 38.5 kDa. Serine protease had an optimum pH of 8.0 and was stable at 45°C with high relative protease activity. The addition of metal ions such as Mg2+ and Mn2+ exhibits a high relative activity. Serine protease had a potent antibacterial activity against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. A 10 μg/ml of serine protease was tested against S. aureus, M. luteus, P. aeruginosa and K. pneumoniae which had 21, 20, 18 and 17 mm of zone of inhibition respectively. Serine protease from W. tinctoria degrades the peptidoglycan layer of bacteria which was visualized by transmission electron microscopic analysis.

Biochemical characterization of a new glycosylated protease from Euphorbia cf. lactea latex

A dimeric protease designated as EuP-82 was purified from Euphorbia cf. lactea latex. Since its proteolytic activity was inhibited by a serine protease specific inhibitor (PMSF), EuP-82 was classified as a serine protease. N-glycan deglycosylation tests revealed that EuP-82 was a glycosylated protein. MALDI-TOF MS showed that EuP-82 was a homodimer, which was its active form. The optimal conditions for fibrinogenolytic activity were at pH 11 and 35 °C. EuP-82 enzyme had broad range of pH stability from 4 to 12. Moreover, the enzyme was still active in the presence of reducing agent (β-mercaptoethanol). EuP-82 was a proline-rich enzyme (about 20.69 mol%). Increased proline production can be found in higher plants in response to both biotic and abiotic stresses, high proline in the molecule of EuP-82 might stabilize its activity, structure and folding. Based on the N-terminal amino acid sequences and peptide mass fingerprint (PMF) of EuP-82, the enzyme was identified as a new serine protease. The digested products from EuP-82 cleavage of human fibrinogen were analyzed by SDS-PAGE and PMF. The results confirmed that EuP-82 could digest all subunits of human fibrinogen. EuP-82 cleaved fibrinogen with a Michaelis constant (Km) of 3.30 ± 0.26 μM; a maximal velocity (Vmax) of 400.9 ± 0.85 ng min(-1); and a catalytic efficiency (Vmax/Km) of 121.5 ± 9.25 ng μM(-1) min(-1). EuP-82 has potential for use in medicinal treatment, for example thrombosis, since the enzyme had fibrinogenolytic activity and high stability.

Purification and characterization of alkaline-thermostable protease enzyme from Pitaya (Hylocereus polyrhizus) waste: a potential low cost of the enzyme

The thermoalkaline protease enzyme from pitaya (Hylocereus polyrhizus) waste was purified by a factor of 221.2 with 71.3% recovery using ammonium sulphate precipitation, gel filtration, and cation exchange chromatography. Gel filtration chromatography together with sodium dodecyl sulphate gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) revealed that the enzyme is monomeric with a molecular weight of 26.7 kDa. The apparent K_m and V_max of the protease were 2.8 mg/mL and 31.20 u/min, respectively. The optimum pH and temperature were 8.0 and 70°C. The enzyme was highly active and stable over a wide pH range (from pH 3.0 to pH 11.0 with the optimum activity at pH 8.0). The protease has broad specificity toward azocasein, casein, hemoglobin, and gelatine. Activity of the enzyme was inhibited by Fe²⁺ and Zn²⁺, while protease activity was increased in the presence of Ca²⁺ and Mg²⁺ and Cu²⁺ by factors of 125%, 110%, and 105%, respectively. The alkaline protease showed extreme stability toward surfactants and oxidizing agent. The purified protease exhibited extreme stability in the presence of organic solvents and inhibitors. In addition, the enzyme was relativity stable toward organic solvents and chelating agents, such as ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA). The enzyme, derived from pitaya peel, possesses unique characteristics and could be used in various industrial and biotechnological applications.