COMPARISON OF PROTEIN EXTRACTION PROTOCOLS AND CHARACTERIZATION OF PROTEIN FROM RED SEAWEED

Abstract

Some species of the genus Gracilaria account for over 80% of the world's production of agar, making the genus a valuable marine bio-asset. Additionally, many species of Gracilaria are utilized as human food and medicinal purpose in various parts of the world. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of osmotic shock, high shear force, alkaline, and polysaccharide treatments, as well as their many variants and combinations, on protein extraction from Gracilaria fisheri. It was required to compare the methods that provide the best protein extraction and purity in order to choose the protein with the highest percentage of purity. Protein profiles of Gracilaria fisheri were compared across four different extraction techniques. Protein was extracted using a variety of methods, including treatments with and without enzyme (Acetate buffer/NaOH buffer) and enzyme (cellulase/alcalase) at two distinct pH levels (4.5 and 7). Amino acid profiling also carried out in this study through acid oxidation, acid hydrolysis & alkali hydrolysis by utilizing the HPLC method. To extract the maximum amount of protein, researchers used a combination of acetate buffer, cellulase enzymes, sonication, and ammonium sulfate in Method 1. The study found that the efficiency of protein extraction ranged from 86 % for Method 1 to 10 % for Method 4. According to the results of this study, method 1 had the lowest separated yields of protein content (8.74%), while method 4 had the highest (25.11%). It was determined that Method 1 was the most effective for amino acid profiling in G. fisheri. Based on our findings, pure protein concentrates extracted from Gracilaria species possess the potential as sustainable alternative protein sources for human nutrition, and they will be useful in meeting our estimated global protein need in the future.