Purification and characterization of ginsenoside-hydrolyzing β-glucosidase from wheat bran

The ginsenoside-hydrolyzing beta-glucosidase that can converse the major ginsenosides into the minor ginsenosides was isolated from wheat bran, and the enzyme was purified and characterized. The crude enzyme solution extracted from wheat bran could hydrolyse the protopanaxadiol-type ginsenosides such as Rb-1, Rc, Rd and Rg(3), but could not hydrolyse the protopanaxatriol-type ginsenosides such as Re and Rg(2). The enzyme fractionated on the DEAE-Cellulose DE-52 column was purified to one spot in SDS polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, and the molecular weight of enzyme in the fraction 34, 47, and 61 was approximately 62 kDa, 62 kDa, and 68 kDa, respectively.