효소에 의한 옥수수 단백가수분해물의 천연항균제로서의 이용가능성을 조사하기 위하여 zein 단백질에 단백 가수분해 효소를 작용시켜 얻어진 가수분해물의 항균활성을 측정하고 membrane filter로 한외 여과하여 항균활성이 가장 높은 분획을 HPLC로 분취한 후 항균활성을 측정하고 MIC, 각종 세균에 대한 생육저해농도를 측정하여 다음과 같은 결과를 얻었다. Zein 단백질에 6종의 단백분해효소를 작용시켜 제조한 가수분해물 중 pepsin으로 작용시킨 것이 항균활성이 가장높았다. Membrane filter에 의하여 여과한가수분해물의 항균활성은 M.W. $10,000~30,000$에서 가장 높았으며 $121^{circ}C$에서 10분간 처리하여도 항균활성에 변화가 없는 열안정성이 매우 높았고 MIC는 2.5 mg/mL이었다. HPLC로 분리한 항균성 peptide의 N-말단 아미노산 조성은 leucine, glutamic acid, proline, phenylalanine, aspartic acid, argenine 순이었다. 분자량 $10,000~30,000$의 가수분해 동결건조물을 3 mg/mL 농도로 nutrient broth 배지에 첨가하고 $37^{circ}C$에서 배양하였을 때 크게 생육이 저해되었다.
A study was carried out to produce antimicrobial peptides from zein treated with pretenses of six kinds. Among the pretenses of six kinds, zein hydrolysate treated with pepsin showed the highest antimicrobial activity. The zein hydrolysate with pepsin was fractionated with membrane filter (30,000 10,000 and 3,000 molecular weight cut-off) and antimicrobial activity was measured for each fractions. Antimicrobial activity appeared greatly in the fraction below 3,000 (molecular weight cut-off) . The fraction was re-fractionated by HPLC and substances of two peaks collected as a sample to measure antimicrobial activity. All of both peaks showed the antimicrobial activity but 1st peak exhibited a consistently higher antimicrobial activity than 2nd peak. Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) were between 2.5 and 3.0 mg/mL. The peptide was heat-stable since antimicrobial activity was maintained after treated with heat for 20 min at $121^{circ}C$. N-terminal amino acid sequence of peptide fractionated by HPLC was leucine, glutamic acid, proline, phenylalanine, aspartic acid and argenine. These results indicated that peptide isolated from zein hydrosate with pepsin can use as a natural preservative ingredient in food industry.
