EXTRACTION, PURIFICATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF LIPOXYGENASE FROM CONOPHOR NUT (Tetracarpidium conophorum)

Lipoxygenase (LOX) is an enzyme that catalyses the step-wise oxygenation of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) to form acid hydroperoxides within living tissues. In present study, lipoxygenase was isolated from defatted and whole (full fat) conophor nut (Tetracarpidium conophorum) purified homogeneity using 60% ammonium sulphate precipitation, DEAE-sephadex A50 sephadex G-200 chromatography. The effects pH temperature on activity stability LOX were investigated. optimum 5.0 50 oC, respectively. stable at 40 oC after hour incubation. values 6.0. enhanced by Ca2+ while Zn2+, Fe2+ Cu2+ inhibited its activity. Km Vmax 40.38 µM 125 µmol/min/mg proteins, molecular weight estimated be 67.83 kDa SDS-PAGE. findings reveal can a cheap source industrial lipoxygenase, which could exploited in various biotechnological applications. enzyme’s thermostability adaptation slightly acidic medium are factors help boost acceptability food systems.