Abstract
Foam fractionation is a promising technique for concentrating proteins because of its simplicity and low operating cost. One such protein that can be foamed is the enzyme cellulase. The use of inexpensively purified cellulase may be a key step in the economical production of ethanol from biomass. We conducted foam fractionation experiments at total reflux using the cellulase component β-glucosidase to study how continuous shear affects β-glucosidase in a foam such as a fermentation or foam fractionation process. The experiments were conducted at pH 2.4, 5.4, and 11.6 and airflow rates of 3, 6, 15, 20, and 32 cc/min to determine how β-glucosidase activity changes in time at these different conditions. This is apparently a novel and simple way of testing for changes in enzyme activity within a protein foam. The activity did not degenerate during 5 min of reflux at pH 5.4 at an airflow rate of 10 cc/ min. It was established that at 10 min of refluxing, the β-glucosidase denatured more as the flow rate increased. At pH 2.4 and a flow rate of 10 cc/min, the activity remained constant for at least 15 min.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Sheehan, J. and Himmel, M. (1999), Biotechnol. Prog. 75, 817–827.
Loha, V., Prokop, A., and Tanner, R.D. (1999), Appl. Biochem. Biotechnol. 77–79, 701–712.
Varley, J. and Ball, S. (1994), Separat. Biotechnol. 158, 525–531.
Uraizee, F. and Narsimhan, G. (1990), Microbiol. Technol. 12(4), 315–316
Lockwood, C., Bummer, P., and Jay, M. (1997), Pharma. Res. 14(11), 1511–1515.
Clarkson, J. R., Cui, Z. F., and Darton, R. C. (1999), J. Colloid Interface Sci. 215, 323–332.
Clarkson, J. R., Cui, Z. F., and Darton, R. C. (1999), J. Colloid Interface Sci. 215, 333–338.
Bhat, M. K. and Bhat, S. (1997), Biotechnol. Adv. 15, 583–620.
Lambert, W. D., Du, L., Ma, Y., Loha, V., Burapatana, V., Prokop, A., Tanner, R. D., and Pamment, N. B. (2003), Bioresour. Technol. 87, 247–253.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Burapatana, V., Prokop, A. & Tanner, R.D. Degeneration of β-glucosidase activity in a foam fractionation process. Appl Biochem Biotechnol 114, 619–625 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1385/ABAB:114:1-3:619
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1385/ABAB:114:1-3:619