Effect of the Cell Wall-degrading Enzyme on the Release of Protein from Soybean Tissue

The effect of the soybean cell wall-degrading enzyme (SCWase) produced by Aspergillus japonicus on the release of protein from several kinds of substrates prepared from whole soybean was examined. When the heat-processed single cell or the section was incubated with SCWase plus protease (Pronase P), the enzymatic degradation of the cell wall had almost no effect on the proteolysis. However, when the heat-treated dehulled soybean was incubated with the both enzymes, the enzymatic disruption of the tissue (cell separation) resulted in the increase of the protein solubilization in the tissue. On the other hand, although the undenatured soybean protein enveloped by the cell wall was unable to be extracted with water, the enzymatic degradation of the cell wall gave the protein water-extractability.