Enhancement of Water-solubilities of Protein-bound Polysaccharides Contained in the Basidiocarps of Ganoderma lucidum by Hydrolyzing with Chymotrypsin

Optimum conditions for hydrolysis were investigated to enhance water-solubilities of protein-bound polysaccharides in the basidiocarps of Ganoderma lucidum by treating chymotrypsin. We also attempted with Ganoderma lucidum residue remaining after extracting hot water-soluble compoents in Ganoderma lucidum. After hydrolyzing under optimum conditions (20 ppm chymotrypsin, 2% Gampderma lucidum or 6% Ganoderma lucidum residue, at pH 10 and at $ 40^{\circ}C$), the amounts of total protein and carbohydrate of hydrolysate were measured. Michaelis constant, $K_{m}$, and maximum rate, $V_{max}$, calculated by Lineweaver-Buck plot for the hydrolysis of Ganoderma lucidum were 1.73% and 0.073%/min respectively and those for hydrolysis of Ganoderma lucidum residue were 2.40% and 0.033%/min respectively. The amount of polysaccharide isolated from Ganoderma lucidum (100 g) treated with chymotrypsin was only 3.07 g, but significantly increased amount (14.34 g) of polysaccharides was isolated from Ganoderma lucidum residue (100 g) treated with chymotrypsin. The protein-bound polysaccharide was isolated from the non-hydrolyzed and hydrolyzed sample and molecular weights of the polysaccharide were measured by Sepharose CL-48 gel filtration.