Caracterização de pectinase produzida por cultivo em estado sólido do fungo Pycnoporus sanguineus em resíduos agroindustriais

Abstract

Pectinases are enzymes capable of reducing the degree of polymerization of pectin, and are applied by the food and beverage industries to reduce the viscosity of juices, pulps, and wines. However, the high production cost of these biocatalysts hinders their large scale application. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the physicochemical characteristics of pectinases obtained by solid-state cultivation of the fungus Pycnoporus sanguineus on wheat bran (an agro-industrial residue). The enzyme showed higher catalytic activity when incubated at pH 3.5 at 50°C. The enzymatic activity was maintained after 24 hours at pH 5.0 to 9.0. The enzyme remained stable for 1 hour at 70°C. Thin-layer chromatography demonstrated that galacturonic acid was the main hydrolysis product of pectin, indicating that the enzymatic extract has high exo-polygalacturonase activity. The catalytic characteristics presented by the enzyme encourage the continuation of the work, aiming at obtaining low-cost biocatalysts for industrial application.