Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Hydrolysis of polyesters by serine proteases

  • Published:
Biotechnology Letters Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The substrate specificity of α-chymotrypsin and other serine proteases, trypsin, elastase, proteinase K and subtilisin, towards hydrolysis of various polyesters was examined using poly(L-lactide) (PLA), poly(β-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB), poly(ethylene succinate) (PES), poly(ethylene adipate) (PEA), poly(butylene succinate) (PBS), poly(butylene succinate-co-adipate) (PBS/A), poly[oligo(tetramethylene succinate)-co-(tetramethylane carbonate)] (PBS/C), and poly(ɛ-caprolactone) (PCL). α-Chymotrypsin could degrade PLA and PEA with a lower activity on PBS/A. Proteinase K and subtilisin degraded almost all substrates other than PHB. Trypsin and elastase had similar substrate specificities to α-chymotrypsin.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • B Asgeirsson JB Bjarnason (1991) ArticleTitleStructural and kinetic properties of chymotrypsin from atlantic cod (Gadus Morhua). comparison with bovine chymotrypsin Comp. Biochem. Physiol. 99B 327–335 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DyaK3MXltV2isro%3D

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • T Chandy CP Sharma (1991) ArticleTitleEffect of plasma glow, glutaraldehyde and carbodiimide treatments on the enzymatic degradation of poly(L-lactic acid) and poly(γ-benzyl-L-glutamate) films Biomaterials 12 677–682 Occurrence Handle10.1016/0142-9612(91)90116-R Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DyaK3MXmvVOisLY%3D Occurrence Handle1720676

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • MH Coan RC Roberts J Travis (1971) ArticleTitleHuman pancreatic enzymes. Isolation and properties of a major form of chymotrypsin Biochemistry 10 2711–2717 Occurrence Handle10.1021/bi00790a009 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:CS6B2Mzhs10%3D Occurrence Handle4997645

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • T Cohen A Gertler Y Birk (1981) ArticleTitlePancreatic proteolytic enzymes from carp (Cyprinus Carpio) I. purification and physical properties of trypsin, chymotrypsin, elastase and carboxypeptidase B Comp. Biochem. Physiol. 69B 639–646 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DyaL3MXls1Cnsb0%3D

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • KE Jaeger A Steinbüchel D Jendrossek (1995) ArticleTitleSubstrate specificities of bacterial polyhydroxyalkanoate depolymerases and lipases: bacterial lipases hydrolyze poly(ω-hydroxyalkanoates) Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 61 3113–3118 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DyaK2MXnt1ahsrw%3D Occurrence Handle7487042

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • A Jarerat H Pranamuda Y Tokiwa (2002) ArticleTitlePoly(L-lactide)-degrading activity in various actinomycetes Macromol. Biosci. 2 420–428 Occurrence Handle10.1002/mabi.200290001 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DC%2BD3sXitFWqsrs%3D

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • H Pranamuda Y Tokiwa H Tanaka (1997) ArticleTitlePolylactide degradation by an Amycolatopsis sp Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 63 1637–1640 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DyaK2sXisVWrsb0%3D

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • H Pranamuda R Chollakup Y Tokiwa (1999) ArticleTitleDegradation of polycarbonate by a polyester-degrading strain, Amycolatopsis sp. strain HT-6 Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 65 4220–4222 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DyaK1MXlvFCjsrY%3D Occurrence Handle10473438

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • M Takeda JI Koizumi K Yabe K Adachi (1998) ArticleTitleThermostable poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) depolymerase of a thermophilic strain of Leptothrix sp. isolated from a hot spring J. Ferment. Bioeng. 85 375–380 Occurrence Handle10.1016/S0922-338X(98)80080-9 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DyaK1cXjvVentr4%3D

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Y Tokiwa T Ando T Suzuki (1976) ArticleTitleDegradation of polycaprolactone by a fungus J. Ferment. Technol. 54 603–608 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DyaE28XlvFehtbs%3D

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Y Tokiwa T Suzuki (1977a) ArticleTitleHydrolysis of polyesters by lipases Nature 270 76–78 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DyaE1cXhtlamsrw%3D

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Y Tokiwa T Suzuki (1977b) ArticleTitlePurification and some properties of polyethylene adipate-degrading enzyme produced by Penicillium sp. strain 14-3 Agric. Biol. Chem. 41 265–274 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DyaE2sXhtFKlsr8%3D

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Y Tokiwa T Suzuki (1978) ArticleTitleHydrolysis of polyesters by Rhizopus delemar lipase Agric. Biol. Chem. 42 1071–1072 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DyaE1cXltValtrs%3D

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • O Tsuchida Y Yamagota J Ishizuka J Arai J Yamada M Takeuchi E Ichishima (1986) ArticleTitleAn alkaline proteinase of an alkalophilic Bacillus sp Curr Microbiol. 14 7–12 Occurrence Handle10.1007/BF01568094 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DyaL2sXivFWnsg%3D%3D

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • H Uchida T Nakajima-Kambe Y Shigeno-Akutsu N Nomura Y Tokiwa T Nakahara (2000) ArticleTitleProperties of a bacterium which degrades solid poly(tetramethylene succinate)-co-adipate, a biodegradable plastic FEMS Microbiol. Lett. 189 25–29 Occurrence Handle10.1016/S0378-1097(00)00246-9 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DC%2BD3cXltVOmuro%3D Occurrence Handle10913861

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • DF Williams (1981) ArticleTitleEnzymatic hydrolysis of polylactic acid Eng. Med. 10 5–7

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Agricultural Science & Technology, Chonbuk National University, Jeonju, 561-756, Korea

    Hyun-A Lim

  2. National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Tsukuba Central 6, 1-1-1 Higashi, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8566, Japan

    Takao Raku & Yutaka Tokiwa

Authors
  1. Hyun-A Lim
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Takao Raku
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Yutaka Tokiwa
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Yutaka Tokiwa.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Lim, HA., Raku, T. & Tokiwa, Y. Hydrolysis of polyesters by serine proteases. Biotechnol Lett 27, 459–464 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10529-005-2217-8

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10529-005-2217-8

Keywords

Search

Navigation