title: Characterisation of general proteolytic, milk clotting and antifungal activity of Ficus carica latex during fruit ripening.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The physiological role of fig latex is to protect the plant from pathogens. Latex is a rich source of proteases, predominantly ficin. Fig latex also contains collagenolytic protease and chitinolytic enzymes. Our aim was to investigate changes in protein composition, enzyme and antifungal activities of fig latex during fruit ripening.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Comparison of latex samples in different time periods showed a uniform increase of protein concentration in chronological order. The content of collagenolytic protease did not differ significantly in the latex samples, while the content of ficin decreased. Ficin-specific activity towards casein was the highest at the beginning of fruit development (about 80 U mg(-1)). Specific milk clotting activity increased as well as the abundance of casein band in the clots. Specific chitinolytic activity at the beginning of flowering was 6.5 times higher than the activity in the period when fruits are ripe. Antifungal activity is the most extensive in spring.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Ficin forms with different casein specificities are present in different proportions during fruit ripening, which is of importance for applications in the dairy industry. The protection mechanism against insects and fungi, which relies on chitinolytic activity, is the most important in the early phases of flowering and is replaced with other strategies over time.
authors: University of Belgrade, Faculty of Chemistry, Department of Biochemistry, Studentski trg 12-16, 11000, Belgrade, Republic of Serbia.
authors: Brankica
authors: B
authors: Raskovic
authors: University of Belgrade, Faculty of Chemistry, Department of Biochemistry, Studentski trg 12-16, 11000, Belgrade, Republic of Serbia.
authors: Jelena
authors: J
authors: Lazic
authors: University of Belgrade, Faculty of Chemistry, Department of Biochemistry, Studentski trg 12-16, 11000, Belgrade, Republic of Serbia.
authors: Natalija
authors: N
authors: Polovic
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002364:Caseins / Q000378:metabolism; D002686:Chitin / Q000378:metabolism; D005361:Ficain / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D030681:Ficus / Q000737:chemistry*; D005638:Fruit / Q000737:chemistry / Q000254:growth & development*; D005659:Fungicides, Industrial / Q000032:analysis*; D007306:Insecticides; D007840:Latex / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology; D008892:Milk / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D010447:Peptide Hydrolases / Q000032:analysis*; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D012441:Saccharomyces cerevisiae / Q000187:drug effects; D013379:Substrate Specificity
chemical_list: D002364:Caseins; D005659:Fungicides, Industrial; D007306:Insecticides; D007840:Latex; D010940:Plant Proteins; D002686:Chitin; D010447:Peptide Hydrolases; D005361:Ficain
keywords: Ficus carica latex; antifungal activity; chitinolytic activity; ficin; milk clotting activity; ripening