Purification and Certain Properties of Avocado Polygalacturonase

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Abstract
SUMMARY: A procedure was developed for the extraction of polygalacturonase (PC) from avocado mesocarp. PG, which is absent from immature fruit, begins to develop at the blossom end and progresses toward the stem end. By ammonium sulfate fractionation, ion‐exchange chromatography, and the use of calcium phosphate gel, a four‐step procedure was developed resulting in a 36‐fold purification in terms of specific activity. Avocado PG causes a random hydrolysis of polygalacturonic acid to D‐galacturonic acid; it has an optimum pH of 5.5 in sodium acetate buffer. Partial inhibition was caused by ammonium, potassium, and phosphate ions, and inhibition was nearly complete by polymeta‐phosphate. Evidence is presented for the presence of a natural inhibitor of avocado PG in mesocarp tissue.

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