Biochemical and Molecular characterization of Super oxide dismutase enzyme purified from Ajwain (Trachyspermum ammi)

Superoxide dismutase (EC 1.15.1.1) (SOD) is a standout amongst the most critical metal containing enzymes that can act as a main line of defense against oxidative stress. There has always been an increased interest globally to identify new plant sources with high SOD activity that are pharmacologically potent and have minimum side effects for their use as preventive medicine and in food industry. Trachyspermum ammi showed high SOD activity and the enzyme was purified to homogeneity using various downstream processing techniques like; Salt precipitation, dialysis, IEX, Gel permeation, NATIVE- and SDS-PAGE. Biochemical characterization with respect to optimum operational parameters viz., pH, Temperature, Stability, Concentration etc., was done. Kinetic studies for determination of Km, Vmax, Temperature coefficient, Activation energy have also been accomplished.