ORIGINAL RESEARCH
The Influence of Al3+Ions on Pepsin
and Trypsin Activity in Vitro
Z. Krejpcio, R.W. Wójciak*
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Department of Human Nutrition and Hygiene, August Cieszkowski Agricultural University,
Wojska Polskiego 31, 60-624 Poznań, Poland
*The Author has been awarded by the National Science Foundation
Pol. J. Environ. Stud. 2002;11(3):251-254
KEYWORDS
ABSTRACT
The objective of this study was to investigate the influence of the concentration of Al3+ ions and the
substrate/enzyme ratio on pepsin and trypsin activity in vitro. The experimental design was a combination of
three Al3+ ion concentrations (0.25; 2.5 and 25.0 mg Al3+/ml of reaction solution) and two substrate/enzyme
ratios (S/E = 10 and 100 for pepsin, and 100 and 1000 for trypsin). Enzymatic activity was determined by the
Folin method based on the reaction of tyrosine with the Folin reagent.
It was found that the concentration of Al3+ ions influenced activity of pepsin which increased with the
increasing metal ion concentration in the reaction milieu. Al3+ ions did not affect activity of trypsin. Proteolitic
activity of pepsin and trypsin depended on substrate/enzyme ratio. Higher concentration of substrate
decreased efficacy of enzymatic protein breakdown in vitro.