Description

• General description: Papain, a cysteine protease, consists of a single polypeptide chain with three disulfide bridges and a sulfhydryl group.[1]
• Application: Papain from papaya latex has been used to digest: Muller glial cells[2]cartilage explants[3]GAG and DNA content of the tissue constructs[4]decellularized tissue samples[5].
• Biochem/physiol Actions: Papain has broad specificity,[7] in cleaving peptide bonds of basic amino acids, leucinehydrolyzes esters and amides.[8] Papain digests many protein substrates extensively than pancreatic proteases.[9] Papain is commonly used in cell isolation procedures since it is more efficient and less harmful compared to other proteases.[7] Papain significantly increases the yield of viable smooth muscle cells without affecting the cell′s sensitivity to stimulants.[1] It catalyzes several reactions, like hydrolysis, transferase action, specificity and acyl-enzyme intermediate.[10]
• Unit Definition: One unit will hydrolyze 1.0 μmole of N-α-benzoyl-L-arginine ethyl ester (BAEE) per minute at pH 6.2 at 25 °C.
• Physical form: Suspension in 0.05 M sodium acetate, pH 4.5, containing 0.01% thymol
• Other Notes: View more information on papain at www.sigma-aldrich.com/enzymeexplorer.