Purification and characterization of α-galactosidases from Penicillium griseoroseum for efficient soymilk hydrolysis

Soybean utilization is limited by the presence of raffinose oligosaccharides (RFO), which are not digested by humans and cause gastrointestinal discomfort. This study explores the potential of α-galactosidases from Penicillium griseoroseum for RFO hydrolysis in soymilk. Two distinct α-galactosidase enzymes, designated α-Gal1 and α-Gal2, were purified using a combination of ion-exchange chromatography and native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Both enzymes exhibited characteristics of multimeric proteins and displayed similar biochemical properties. Optimal activity was observed at a pH range of 4.5–5.0 and a temperature range of 40–45 °C. Notably, α-Gal1 demonstrated high thermostability with a half-life of 16 h at 40 °C. The α-galactosidases displayed different substrate affinitiesfor the substrates ρ-NP-αGal, o-NP-αGal, rD-raffinose, d-stachyose, and mD-melibiose. The Michaelis-Menten constant (Km) values for α-Gal1 were 1.06, 1.31, 28.74, 19.88, and 4.77 mmol/L, respectively, while those for α-Gal2 were 0.8, 1.26, 30.46, 21.74 and 5.01 mmol/L, respectively. Both α-Gal1 and α-Gal2 were strongly inhibited by metal ions (Ag⁺, Cu²⁺, Fe²⁺, and Hg²⁺) and moderately inhibited by d-melibiose. Importantly, both enzymes efficiently hydrolyzed RFOs, achieving complete d-stachyose elimination from soymilk after a 6-h incubation. These findings propose the promising application of these α-galactosidases in industrial soymilk production, potentially enhancing its nutritional value and alleviating gastrointestinal issues in consumers.