Compartmentalization of Pectinase within Cellulose Hydrogel: An Efficient Technique to Enhance the Catalytic Properties of Pectinase for Industrial Applications

Pectinase catalyze the breakdown of pectin polymer and widely has been used in different industrial preparations such as fruit juice preparation, liquification and scarification of plant biomass as well as coffee and tea fermentation. In this study, the pectinase from Bacillus licheniformis was compartmentalized within cellulose beads hydrogel using encapsulation technique to make it reusable with easy recovery from reaction mixture. The compartmentalization improved catalytic properties of pectinase and ensured its reusability for continuous uses. It was observed that 5.0% cellulose concentration was enough to form stable cellulose hydrogel beads with retention of high relative of activity of pectinase. The hydrogel compartmentalization didn’t change the optima pH and temperature for maximum relative activity and both the hydrogel compartmentalized pectinase and free pectinase maximum relative at same pH and temperature but the hydrogel compartmentalization increased the stability of pectinase against various temperatures and pH, and hydrogel compartmentalized pectinase showed higher relative activities against various temperature and pH as compared to free pectinase. The hydrogel compartmentalization slightly reduced the affinity of pectinase toward the substrate (pectin) and hydrogel compartmentalized pectinase showed little bit higher Km value as compared to soluble pectinase. Cellulose hydrogel compartmentalization retained the pectinase activity for reutilization in different reaction preparation and hydrogel compartmentalized pectinase showed more than 80% of its original activity after three times reusing.