Dehairing, Destaining, and Antibacterial Potential of Protease from Waste Fruit Seeds

Background: Proteolytic enzymes are extensively utilized in medicine, agriculture, and industry. However, limited research exists on the extraction and partial purification of proteolytic enzymes from waste fruit seeds such as Watermelon (Citrullus lanatus), melon (Cucumis melon), and Cantaloupe melon (Cucumismelo cantalupensis). Therefore, the present study focused on extracting and partially purifying proteases from these seeds. Methods:  Crude enzyme extracts were initially prepared, followed by partial purification through ammonium sulfate precipitation. The proteolytic activity of the enzymes was screened using casein agarmedium. In addition, their dehairing and destaining potentials were assessed, while antibacterial activity was evaluated using the agar well diffusion method. Results: The findings confirmed the presence of protease enzymes in waste fruit seeds. The extracted proteolytic enzymes effectively removed protein-based stains, demonstrating strong dehairing and destaining potential. Moreover, the partially purified extracts exhibited stronger antibacterial activity than crude extracts against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Streptococcus pyogenes, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Conclusions: Overall, the results indicate that protease extracts from waste fruit seeds can be utilised as promising antibacterial agents with potential applications in dehairing and destaining.