Effect of gluten hydrolysate on plant growth

Abstract

Gluten is a protein composite of gliadin and glutenin found in corn and related grains which is conjoined with the starch in the endosperm is produced as a by product of starch industry. Various chemical and enzymatic methods were applied to hydrolyse gluten and to characterize resulting hyrdrolysate by high performance thin layer chromatography. Hydrolysis was confirmed by estimating tyrosine amino acid. It was observed that using 1N HCL and 1M NaOH for hydrolysis of gluten concentration of tyrosine, methionine, and arginine was more whereas as tyrosine, glutamic acid and methionine was more when gluten was hydrolysed by 4N HCL and 4M NaOH. Bacillus N 15 was inoculated in nutrient broth and grown for overnight at 37°C and in cell free supernatant protease activity was checked against gluten. Supernatant of over night grown culture containing extracellular protease enzyme was used directly to hydrolyse gluten (0.5 gm) used as a substrate and incubated at 37°C for 4.30hr. In enzymatic hydrolysate the concentration of arginine, histidine, cysteine and glutamic acid was more. Hydrolysates were checked for their effect on moong and lentil seed germination and growth of transplanted rice in earthern pots. Gluten hydrolysates showed positive effect on plant growth, however more work is required to be done.