How difficult is it to extract and crystallize alpha-amylase from human saliva?

[eptheta]

I wanted to perform some experiments on enzyme rates and chose amylase as it is easy to obtain. However, I wanted it in pure form so that I can perform mass/concentration-based calculations as well.
Is there any way to extract alpha-amylase from human saliva?

Thank you.

 

[chemisttree]

Yes what kind of equipment do you have available? Do you have a beer-making store near to you? Could you wait and http://www.google.com/#sclient=psy&...&aql=&oq=&gs_rfai=&pbx=1&fp=eeb05746d54f919c"

 

[eptheta]

Honestly I have very little equipment. My chem lab is equipped with only basic volumetric tools and random chemicals.
What equipment would I need ? I may be able to access a BSc Chemistry lab, but I am unsure what it does and does not have...
I do know that it has electrophoresis machines and column chromatography facilities.

-No beer making stores near here... Only beer selling.
-My last resort would be buying the amylase enzyme...

This link was pointed out to me.. It's for precipitating out alpha amylase using ethanol. The steps are clear and followable, and the chemicals seem to be easily obtainable, could you check it out and let me know what you think of it ?
http://www.science.smith.edu/departments/Biochem/Biochem_353/amylase.html

Thanks !

 

[chemisttree]

Sounds like you are going to need very pure ethanol, glycogen, a spectrometer, volumetric pipettes and a nice centrifuge. Good luck with it.

The centrifuge isn't something you usually find in the chem lab. Try the biology lab instead. You are going to need a high speed (10,000 g!) one.

I'd prefer to buy the amylase online ($1.95 plus shipping) rather than go through all of this. What the heck is "Oyster glycogen, Sigma, Type II"? Probably something you buy from Sigma-Aldrich.

 

[eptheta]

What the heck is "Oyster glycogen, Sigma, Type II"? Probably something you buy from Sigma-Aldrich.

I concur. Getting Oyster Glycogen is probably way harder than getting amylase...
I guess you're right. I'll just buy the enzyme from here. (Although i think it might be difficult to acquire it in Mumbai, India)

One more thing, on a scale of 1 to 10, how difficult do you think it is to crystallize thermally unstable proteins like alpha amylase ? (Hoping that you have experience with this kind of thing)
I wanted to crystallize it for fun, but i realize that its nothing like crystallizing rochelle's salt or sucrose (both of which require lots of heating to make a supersaturate)

Thanks!