Fluorescein thiocarbamoyl-kappa-casein assay for the specific testing of milk-clotting proteases

J Dairy Sci. 2006 Oct;89(10):3770-7. doi: 10.3168/jds.S0022-0302(06)72418-3.

Abstract

Milk-clotting proteases, which are widely used in the cheese-making industry, are enzymes that use soluble caseins as their preferential substrates. Here, we propose a modification to a method previously described for the specific determination of milk-clotting proteases by using kappa-casein labeled with fluorescein isothiocyanate as substrate. Validation of the modified method was confirmed using natural bacterial, fungal, plant, and animal milk-clotting proteases, as well as a milk-clotting enzyme of recombinant origin. The new modified method described here allowed specific quantification of the activity of milk-clotting proteases in a very sensitive way and permitted determination of the appropriate kinetic parameters of all the enzymes tested, consistent with their origin and degree of purity.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Validation Study

MeSH terms

  • Abomasum / enzymology
  • Animals
  • Bacillus / enzymology
  • Buffaloes / physiology
  • Caseins / analysis
  • Caseins / chemistry*
  • Caseins / metabolism
  • Cynara / enzymology
  • Fluoresceins / analysis
  • Fluoresceins / chemistry*
  • Fluoresceins / metabolism
  • Fluorescence
  • Food Handling / methods*
  • Kinetics
  • Milk / enzymology*
  • Mucorales / enzymology
  • Peptide Hydrolases / chemistry*
  • Peptide Hydrolases / drug effects
  • Peptide Hydrolases / metabolism
  • Protease Inhibitors / pharmacology
  • Reproducibility of Results
  • Sensitivity and Specificity
  • Time Factors
  • Trypsin / metabolism

Substances

  • Caseins
  • Fluoresceins
  • Protease Inhibitors
  • fluorescein thiocarbamoyl casein
  • Peptide Hydrolases
  • Trypsin