PROSPECTIVE UTILIZATION OF ANTHERAEA MYLITTA COCOONASE AND ITS MOLECULAR HARMONY WITH NATURE

Cocoonase is a proteolytic enzyme released by Antheraea mylitta during pupal-adult emergence. Interestingly, as a natural-molecular-mechanism, around 600-900?l enzyme get sprayed by emerging insect with the concentration of 221?g/ml which specifically target insect glue protein sericin without affecting the fibroin protein. This natural-reaction makes anterior portion of cocoons soft to facilitate the moth (adult) emergence. Moreover, cocoonase is the un-utilized crucial by-product of tasar silk industry. Therefore, in the present study molecular sculpt of cocoonase has been prepared to understand its molecular harmony with nature in order to utilize this by-product in future. Native cocoonase secretion process, place of secretion, secretion volume, sequential changes in cocoonase concentration, chronological secretion profile, quantification, purification by sephadexG100 column, characterization, proper storage conditions, enzymatic action and enzyme activity has been worked out successfully. SDS-PAGE analysis of purified cocoonase showed molecular weight 25-26 kDa. Elemental-mapping/profiling of secreted cocoonase, suitable condition for specific activity of cocoonase, utilization of purified native cocoonase for cocoon softening has been done. Around 2150 ml of cocoonase collection from 3000 emerging tasar silkworm has been done successfully. Tasar silk SEM study showed marked variation in silk fiber surface when cocoon softening was done using cocoonase. Maldi Tof-Tof (MS and MSMS) data of A. mylitta cocoonase MS 1320.477 showed similarities with cocoonase/proteolytic enzyme of other sericigenous insects. Antheraea cocoonase secretion showed it close harmony with nature. It is projected that, by using this enzyme, softening of tasar cocoon can be conducted to develop an enzyme based eco-friendly cocoon cooking and reeling technology in order to produce organic tasar silk with natural beautiful color.