Triggered enzymatic degradation of a water-soluble polymer solution using a novel inhibitor

Controlled enzymatic degradation of solutions of guar galactomannan, a naturally occurring polysaccharide, offers a powerful tool to enhance its usage in a variety of applications. In this study, we use viscometry to investigate the use of tris(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane (Tris) as a reversible, pH-dependent inhibitor to control the degradation of guar galactomannan by Aspergillus niger beta-mannanase. Viscosity measurements of pH 9 guar solutions containing 25 mM Tris show no reduction in the viscosity when treated with beta-mannanase. In contrast, samples containing no Tris show significant reduction in viscosity within an hour. Samples maintained at a pH of 9 in the presence of Tris for several hours show no change in viscosity; however, reduction of the pH of the sample to 4 initiates enzymatic degradation of the guar solution resulting in a rapid reduction in solution viscosity. This reversible, pH-dependent inhibition is possibly a result of the protonation state of Tris as well as key amino acids in the active site.