Research Advances on Myrosinase

The research on myrosinase was reviewed. The functions of various hydrolyzed compounds of glucosinolates by myrosinase on animals, plants and human beings were summarized. Recent studies on characters, purifications, the methods of determining activities of myrosinase, gene families of myrosinase isoenzymes were described. The isothiocyanates, which have function of anti-cancer, were hydrolyzed from some glucosinolates by myrosianse. Myrosinase activity could be determined by measuring the change of glucose with glucose measure kit, spectrophotometer, or GC; or by measuring the change of concentration of glucosinolates with spectrophotometer or HPLC. Myrosinases could be found in Cruciferae plants; and insects which feed on Cruciferae plants, such as Tenebrio molitor, Phyllotreta undulate, Brevicoryne brassicae, Plutella xylostella, Trichoplusia ni; and fungi, such as Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Alternaria brassicae, Lepthosphaeria maculans; and intestinal bacteria, such as Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron.