Characterization of polyphenoloxidase from 2 peach (Prunus persica L.) varieties grown in Argentina

Polyphenoloxidase was extracted from September peach (_SEPPO) and Summerset peach (_SUPPO) and its physicochemical characteristics were analyzed. The optimum pH was 6.5 for _SEPPO and 5.5 for _SUPPO. The optimum temperature was 35°C for _SEPPO and 39.4°C for _SUPPO. Activation energy (Ea) from thermal activation was 41.5 kJ/mol for _SEPPO and 37.5 kJ/mol for _SUPPO. Heating at 60°C by 5 min, _SUPPO was denatured whereas _SEPPO retained 2.6% of activity. Activation enthalpy (ΔH^#) and activation entropy (ΔS^#) for _SEPPO heat-inactivation were 69.9 J/mol and −83.5 kJ/mol·K for _SUPPO, ΔH^# was 91.8 J/mol while ΔS^# was −21.0 kJ/mol·K. Substrate specificity (V_max/K_M) was 4-methylcatechol>catechol>pyrogallol for _SEPPO and 4-mehtylcatechol>pyrogallol>catechol for _SUPPO. For both enzymes, the order of inhibition effectiveness using reductor agents was metabisulphite>ascorbic acid. Benzaldehyde, 4-hydroxybenzaldehyde, and dl-dopa were competitive inhibitors, and their K_I values were 38.86, 8.43, and 2.08 mM, respectively.