Pectinases are the enzymes that break down pectin, a polysaccharide substrate that is found in the cell walls of plants. One of the most studied and widely used commercial pectinases is polygalacturonase. It is useful because pectin is the jelly-like matrixes which helps cement plant cells together and in which other cell wall components, such as cellulose fibrils, are embedded. Therefore pectinase enzymes are commonly used in processes involving the degradation of plant materials, such as speeding up the extraction of fruit juice from fruit. Considering the wide applications of pectic enzymes in various industries, the current research is intended to concentrate in the world of pectic enzymes with following objectives-Isolation of microorganisms which produce pectinase from natural sources i.e., from spoiled fruits /vegetables, purify the enzyme in three steps and optimise the various process parameters. The present study deals with the production of pectinase enzyme by a strain of Aspergillus niger, isolated from rotten tomato. The enzyme was quantified and purification was performed by ammonium sulphate precipitation, dialysis and column chromatography. Optimisation studies were carried out to identify the suitable conditions for maximum production of pectinase enzyme.
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