Thermal Inactivation of Myrosinase from White Mustard Seeds

Myrosinases (thioglucosidases) catalyze the hydrolysis of a class of compounds called glucosinolates, of which the aglycones show various biological functions. It is often necessary to minimize the loss of myrosinase activity during thermal processing of cruciferous vegetables. Myrosinase was isolated from a popular spice, white mustard (Sinapis alba), and its thermal inactivation kinetics was investigated. The enzyme was extracted from white mustard seeds and purified by a sequential processes of ammonium sulfate fractionation, Concanavalin A-Sepharose column chromatography, and gel permeation chromatography. At least three isozymes were revealed by Concanavalin A-Sepharose column chromatography. The purity of the major myrosinase was examined by native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and on-gel activity staining with methyl red. The molecular weight of the major enzyme was estimated to be 171 kDa. When the consecutive step model was used for the thermal inactivation of the major myrosinase, its inactivation energy was 44.388 kJ/mol for the early stage of destruction and 32.019 kJ/mol for the late stage of destruction. When the distinct two enzymes model was used, the inactivation energy was 77.772 kJ/mol for the labile enzyme and 95.145 kJ/mol for the stable enzyme. The thermal inactivation energies lie within energy range causing nutrient destruction on heating.