Purification and characterization of a serine protease from the fruit of Ficus carica cultivar Masui Dauphine

Abstract Ficus carica produces, in addition to the cysteine protease ficin, a serine protease (FSP). Here, we purified FSP to homogeneity from the fruit of F. carica cultivar Masui Dauphine. An 81-fold enrichment in specific activity of FSP with 2.1% recovery was attained. Three protein bands (70, 62, and 60 kDa) were identified on SDS-PAGE. Each band was identified as a subtilisin-like protease (661 amino acids) by trypsin digestion and LC-MS/MS analysis, and the partial N-terminal amino-acid sequence analysis. Gelatin zymography revealed that the active FSP exists as a dimer. The optimum hydrolysis pH of FSP was 7.5, and the pHs at which the enzyme retained its initial activity by 70% in 24 h were 8.0–11.0. The optimum hydrolysis temperature of FSP was 50–60ºC, and the temperature required to reduce the initial activity by 50% in 15 min was 70ºC. These results will inform the industrial use of FSP.