Isolation, Characterization and Purification of α-Galactosidase from Peas

In India, the peas are cultivated on a large scale. The α-galactosidase enzyme has principle applications in food industries and in the medical field. The α-galactosidase enzyme was purified from dry peas (Pisum sativum). The purification steps include acetone precipitation and DEAE-cellulose column chromatography. The enzyme has maximum activity at 40°C and optimum pH=7.5. The molecular weight of the enzyme was determined by using SDS-PAGE analysis and found to be 110 kDa. The purified enzyme was immobilized by sodium alginate and it was observed that the immobilized enzyme showed an increase in thermal tolerance.