Monitoring Cellulase Protein Adsorption and Recovery Using SDS-PAGE

Sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) was employed to study the sorption behaviors of cellulases on microcrystalline celluloses and hardwood pulp. The adsorption and recovery of cellulases from Aspergillus niger and Trichoderma reesei were investigated at 25 °C. Cellulase recovery was conducted by rinsing adsorbed enzymes with sodium acetate buffer, Milli-Q water, and sodium hydroxide solution. The initial, equilibrium, and recovered enzymes were analyzed using SDS-PAGE gels. Gels were scanned and analyzed using ImagePro software. The molecular weights of cellulase proteins were determined using a protein marker having seven known proteins. The cellulase system from Trichoderma reesei had a higher adsorption on all substrates studied than the cellulase system from Aspergillius niger, and higher pH favored desorption from the substrates studied. Experimental results also demonstrated that adsorption and desorption amounts determined by SDS-PAGE were proportional to protein concentrations in their crude mixtures.