Preparation of a homogeneous tomato fruit peroxidase

Tomato fruit (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill cv. Walters) peroxidase was purified to apparent homogeneity by a three step procedure: hydrophobic chromatography, DEAE Sephacel chromatography and semi-preparative electrophoresis. A purification of 71 fold and a yield of 52% relative to crude extract were obtained. The pure enzyme was brown in color and showed a molecular weight of 45,000 as estimated from SDS disc gel electrophoresis and gel filtration on Ultrogel AcA 34. The pH optimum of tomato peroxidase varied with substrate dyes used and the enzyme may have some hydrophobic properties near its active site. The optimum temperature was 35 degrees C for this enzyme, and IAA oxidase activity was evident in the presence of 2,4-dichlorophenol and manganese. The apparent KM for IAA was measured to be 0.24 mM.