PROTEOLYTIC ACTIVITY IN STEMS OF 'VITÓRIA', 'SMOOTH CAYENNE' AND PÉROLA' PINEAPPLE PLANTS

Abstract

Helber B. Costa, S.G. Delboni Frederico S. Fortunato Univix Rua Jose Alves, 301 (Goiabeiras) 29075-080 – Vitoria, ES - Brazil Jose A.Ventura Incaper Rua Afonso Sarlo, 160 (Bento Ferreira) 29052-010 - Vitoria, ES – Brazil ventura@incaper.es.gov.br Keywords: Ananas comosus var. comosus , genotypes, bromelain, proteolytic enzymes Abstract Pineapple is one of the most important tropical fruits, not only due to its quality as fresh and processed product, but also as a source of subproducts such as bromelain, a proteolytic enzyme mixture with large applications in pharmaceutical and food industries. Looking for solutions of disease problems, Brazilian research institutions have developed new pineapple cultivars such as the ‘Vitoria’, released for farmers’ use in the State of Espirito Santo in 2006. ‘Vitoria’ plants are resistant to fusariosis, the main pineapple disease in Brazil, and show agronomic characteristics similar or even superior when compared to the traditional cvs. Perola and Smooth Cayenne. In this work were determined the total protein contents and the proteolytic and specific activities of proteolytic enzymes in pineapple stems of cvs. Vitoria, Perola and Smooth Cayenne. Results indicate that the new cv. Vitoria presented protein and enzymatic values in stem tissues similar to those found in the Smooth Cayenne cultivar. INTRODUCTION Pineapple ( Ananas comosus var. comosus) is a monocot plant of the Bromeliaceae family, and presents a fruit symbolic for tropical and subtropical regions, of great acceptance throughout the world as both fresh and processed fruit. The fruit is rich in a group of proteolytic enzymes, known by the general name of bromelain, which is also present in other parts of the pineapple plant. Bromelain has wide application in the food industry, but it has also clinical use for many different purposes, such as antitumoral agents, immune modulation, cleaning of wounds, increase of antibiotic effect, mucolitic action, aid in digestion, applications in cardiovascular and circulatory illnesses, surgical procedures and treatment of wounds of skeletal musculature. Moreover, bromelain has anti-inflammatory effect (Cooreman et al., 1976). Enzymes catalyze reactions in biological systems and have a extraordinary catalytic efficiency superior to that of chemical catalyzers. They also speed up specific chemical reactions and remain functional in watery solutions and conditions of small variation of temperature and pH (Voet and Voet, 1995). The proteolytic enzymes or peptidases make up about 50% of industrially used enzymes (Garcia-Carreno and Del Toro, 1997). The bromelains are hydrolases that cleave peptide bounds for water addition and belong to the subclass of cysteine (or tiol) peptidases, as they present a residue of cysteine. The wide use of bromelain in pharmaceutical industries, cosmetics and food increases the importance of studies to evaluate proteolytic activities in different cultivars