The Extraction and Purification of Papain

Presenter: Jasmine Durazo, Anissa Rivera

Co-Presenter(s):
Anissa Rivera

Presenter Status: Undergraduate student

Academic Year: 22-23

Semester: Spring

Faculty Mentor: Monica Lares

Department: Chemistry

Abstract:
The goal of our experiment is the purification, isolation and identification of the enzyme papain from the latex of green papayas. Our methods for purification include an aqueous two-phase system (ATPS) using PEG-6000 and (NH₄)₂SO₄ to separate the target protein, papain, from other components in the latex. After collection the papain is dialyzed to remove any remaining (NH₄)₂SO₄ and run through an ion-exchange column to remove the PEG-6000. Following purification an enzymatic assay is run to determine papain activity using L-BAPNA as a substrate. The last step is to run an SDS-PAGE to confirm isolation and purification of the papain enzyme.