A Comparison of Silk Fibroin Hydrolysates by Hydrochlonic Acis and Proteolytic Enzymes

Enzymatic hydrolysis of different forms of silk fibroin (soluble, gel and insoluble forms) by industrial and commercial enzyme preparations to obtain aqueous and powdered silk fibroin in relatively mild conditions was investigated. A mono-enzymatic hydrolysate systems were tested for hydrolysis of water-soluble form of fibroin as most productive form of protein substrate. Insoluble forms of substrate usually were hydrolyzed less effective. In some cases from soluble fibroin substrate gel was formed during hydrolysis process. This hindered intermixing and decreased rates of hydrolysis. Insoluble sediments were formed in enzymatic hydrolysates in other cases. These sediments and also sediment after chemical hydrolysis were purified and tested on amino acids content for comparison. Sediments formation in these conditions are considered as pure tyrosine isolation method. Obtained hydrolysates were characterized by gel-chromatography analysis and other standard biochemical methods. Possibility of application of enzymatic hydrolysis for preparation of silk fibroin hydrolysates is discussed.