| abstract |
An improved method for the purification of ribulose, 1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase (RuBisCO) comprises comminuting and homogenizing a plant material, such as leaves, in an aqueous solution. After fractionation to release the RuBisCO, sufficient polyethylene glycol (PEG) is added to cause crystallization of the RuBisCO. It has been found that treatment of the resulting PEG supernatant first by acidification to remove other proteins, and then by addition of a strong base to remove phosphorylated sugars, allows the recycling of the PEG in the process. Moreover, it is found that the phosphorylated sugars are a valuable by-product, suitable for example as a carbon source for the culture of microorganisms. |