Isolation and purification of protease from <em>Labeo rohita</em> viscera

222-226The discarding of fish wastes creates environmental and disposal problems. A number of bioactive compounds can be extracted and purified from the fish wastes. Therefore, protease was purified from the visceral organ wastes of Labeo rohita. The fish visceral waste was collected from Mettur Dam, Tamil Nadu. A crude homogenate was prepared and subjected to acetone precipitation, dialysis, Sephadex G-100 and DEAE cellulose column chromatography. The molecular weight of the isolated protease was determined by SDS-PAGE and confirmation of the protease activity was done by zymography. From the study, it was concluded that, the final purified sample showed a purification fold of 13.4, the specific activity of 8.62 U/mg, recovery percentage of 5.44 and a molecular weight of 38 kDa. Hence the present study was taken up with the view of utilizing the large amounts of fish wastes for the extraction of a beneficial enzyme, namely protease thereby contributing to the reduction of pollution caused by disposal of fish waste