Long-term Chemiluminescent Signal Is Produced in the Course of Luminol Peroxidation Catalyzed by Peroxidase Isolated from Leaves of African Oil Palm Tree

I. Yu. Sakharov

Department of Chemical Enzymology, School of Chemistry, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, 119899 Russia; fax: (095) 939-2742; E-mail: sakharov@enz.chem.msu.ru

Received July 11, 2000; Revision received July 26, 2000

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Optimal conditions were found for the oxidation of luminol by hydrogen peroxide in the presence of peroxidase isolated from leaves of the African oil palm tree Elaeis guineensis (AOPTP). The pH range for maximal chemiluminescence intensity (8.3-8.6) is similar for AOPTP, horseradish, and Arthromyces ramosus peroxidases and slightly different from that for tobacco peroxidase (9.3). Increasing the buffer concentration decreases the chemiluminescence intensity. As in the case of other anionic peroxidases, the catalytic efficiency of AOPTP does not depend on the presence of enhancers (4-iodophenol and 4-hydroxycinnamic acid) in the reaction medium. The detectable limit of AOPTP assayed by luminol peroxidation is 2·10^-12 M. The long-term chemiluminescence signal produced during AOPTP-dependent luminol peroxidation is a characteristic feature of the African oil palm enzyme. This feature in combination with its very high stability suggests that AOPTP will be a promising tool in analytical practice.

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KEY WORDS: peroxidase, oil palm tree, chemiluminescence, luminol

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