Nature of the resistance of wool to digestion by enzymes

Abstract

Wool that has neither been injured mechanically nor modified chemically is completely resistant t o attack by the proteolytic enzymes-pepsin, trypsin, chymotrypsin , and papain. When the cuticle or scale layer of the fib ers is damaged by mecha nical means, the wool becomes susceptible to attack by p epsin and chymotryp sin. Under these conditions only a small portion of the wool is digested, yet the fi bers are considerably weakened and their fibrous structure is partly destroyed.