Skip to Content
MilliporeSigma
All Photos(8)

Key Documents

P4762

Sigma-Aldrich

Papain from papaya latex

lyophilized powder, ≥10 units/mg protein

Synonym(s):

Papainase

Sign Into View Organizational & Contract Pricing


About This Item

CAS Number:
Enzyme Commission number:
EC Number:
MDL number:
UNSPSC Code:
12352204
eCl@ss:
42030311
NACRES:
NA.54

biological source

papaya (latex)

Quality Level

form

lyophilized powder

specific activity

≥10 units/mg protein

mol wt

23.4 kDa

technique(s)

cell culture | mammalian: suitable
single cell analysis: suitable

application(s)

diagnostic assay manufacturing

storage temp.

−20°C

Looking for similar products? Visit Product Comparison Guide

General description

Papain is a cysteine protease, found in Carica papaya. It is composed of a single polypeptide chain containing three disulfide bridges and a sulfhydryl group.

Application

Papain from papaya latex has been used:
  • to digest carotid artery smooth muscle cells
  • in dissecting solutions
  • to produce Fab fragments of antibodies
  • for cell dissociation since it has been shown to be more effective and less damaging with certain tissues
  • in the enzyme cocktail for dissociating human fetal retinal tissue
  • to digest chondrocytes/scaffold cultures for total DNA quantification for cell proliferation
  • as a supplement in neurobasal medium to produce retinal cell suspensions
Suitable for use in preparation of single cell suspension for sequencing.
Used to produce Fab fragments of antibodies. Also used for cell dissociation since it has been shown to be more effective and less damaging with certain tissues.

Biochem/physiol Actions

Papain with wide specificity, cleaves peptide bonds of basic amino acids, leucine or glycine. It also hydrolyzes esters and amides. Papain is considered to digest protein substrates more broadly than the pancreatic proteases. Papain is commonly used in cell isolation procedures as it is highly efficient and less harmful than other proteases on certain tissues. The use of papain is known to yield more viable smooth muscle cells, retaining the cell′s sensitivity to stimulants. Papain papaya latex has antifungal activity against C. albicans and is a cysteine protease.
  • The pH optimum is 6.0-7.0
  • Papain hydrolyzes esters and amides
A cysteine protease that cleaves peptide bonds of basic amino acids, leucine, or glycine.
pH optimum 6.0-7.0
Also hydrolyzes esters and amides.

Packaging

Package size based on protein content

Unit Definition

One unit will hydrolyze 1.0 micromole of N-alpha-benzoyl-L-arginine ethyl ester (BAEE) per minute at pH 6.2 at 25 deg C.

Physical form

Lyophilized powder containing sodium acetate

Preparation Note

2× Crystallized

pictograms

Health hazardExclamation mark

signalword

Danger

Hazard Classifications

Eye Irrit. 2 - Resp. Sens. 1 - Skin Irrit. 2 - STOT SE 3

target_organs

Respiratory system

Storage Class

11 - Combustible Solids

wgk_germany

WGK 1

flash_point_f

Not applicable

flash_point_c

Not applicable

ppe

dust mask type N95 (US), Eyeshields, Faceshields, Gloves


Certificates of Analysis (COA)

Search for Certificates of Analysis (COA) by entering the products Lot/Batch Number. Lot and Batch Numbers can be found on a product’s label following the words ‘Lot’ or ‘Batch’.

Already Own This Product?

Find documentation for the products that you have recently purchased in the Document Library.

Visit the Document Library

Recent advances in chemoenzymatic peptide syntheses
Yazawa K and Numata K
Molecules (Basel), 19(9), 13755-13774 (2014)
Studies on Papaya Leaf Tea, 25-25 (2009)
Eco-Friendly Textile Dyeing and Finishing, 244-244 (2017)
PAPAIN ENZYME: A DIGESTIVE AID
PATEL T
International Journal of Clinical and Biomedical Research, 2(1), 52-53 (2016)
Immunopanning purification and long-term culture of human retinal ganglion cells
Zhang XM, et al.
Molecular Vision, 16(1), 2867-2867 (2010)

Articles

Uncover properties and applications of the cysteine protease papain and find inhibitors, substrates, and other papain products.

Use of MULTI-seq lipid-modified oligos, protocol, and troubleshooting guide for PCR Assays and Sequencing applications.

Our team of scientists has experience in all areas of research including Life Science, Material Science, Chemical Synthesis, Chromatography, Analytical and many others.

Contact Technical Service