Investigating and optimizing the immobilization of levansucrase for increased transfructosylation activity and thermal stability

Levansucrase (LS) represents a key enzyme in glycoside synthesis of novel prebiotics and β-2,6-levan. The study of the effects of immobilization parameters of LS, produced from Bacillus amyloliquefaciens, onto glyoxyl agarose-iminodiacetic acid/Cu (glyoxyl agarose-IDA/Cu) by response surface methodology revealed the significance of their interactive effects. Retention of activity was altered by interactive effects from buffer molarity/time and buffer pH/buffer molarity. The optimized immobilization conditions were identified to be a protein loading of 9.09 mg protein/g support, a buffer concentration of 608 mM at pH 6.8 and an incubation time of 49 h. Normally a reducing agent is applied to the immobilized enzyme in order to promote the formation of covalent bonds. This step was replaced with the addition of the ionic polymer polyethylenimine (PEI), which provided a better compromise between retained activity and thermal stability of the immobilized LS. Indeed, LS immobilized onto glyoxyl agarose-IDA/Cu/PEI had a retention of activity of 70.91% with a protein yield of 44.73% and an activity yield of 54.69%, while exhibiting a half-life 4.7 times higher than that of the free LS at 50 °C.     

Covalent Immobilization of Alcohol Dehydrogenase (ADH2) from Haloferax volcanii: How to Maximize Activity and Optimize Performance of Halophilic Enzymes

Alcohol dehydrogenase from halophilic archaeon Haloferax volcanii (HvADH2) was successfully covalently immobilized on metal-derivatized epoxy Sepabeads. The immobilization conditions were optimized by investigating several parameters that affect the halophilic enzyme–support interaction. The highest immobilization efficiency (100 %) and retention activity (60 %) were achieved after 48 h of incubation of the enzyme with Ni-epoxy Sepabeads support in 100 mM Tris–HCl buffer, pH 8, containing 3 M KCl at 5 °C. No significant stabilization was observed after blocking the unreacted epoxy groups with commonly used hydrophilic agents. A significant increase in the stability of the immobilized enzyme was achieved by blocking the unreacted epoxy groups with ethylamine. The immobilization process increased the enzyme stability, thermal activity, and organic solvents tolerance when compared to its soluble counterpart, indicating that the immobilization enhances the structural and conformational stability. One step purification–immobilization of this enzyme has been carried out on metal chelate-epoxy Sepabeads, as an efficient method to obtain immobilized biocatalyst directly from bacterial extracts.     

Characterization of molecular-sieve-bound inulinase

The enzyme inulinase (2,1-β-d-fructan fructanohydrolase, EC 3.2.1.7), prepared from Kluyveromyces marxianus has been immobilized using an inorganic solid support, molecular sieve 4A via the metal link method. The immobilized enzyme had around 22 units of inulinase activity per g of the support with retention of 72% of the original activity. The optimum protein to molecular sieve ratio for the maximum retention of inulinase activity was 9 mg/g molecular sieve. The properties of soluble and immobilized enzyme differed in many respects. The optimum pH of the enzyme shifted from 6 to 5 and the optimum temperature of enzyme activity changed from 50 to 55°C. K_m values were 6.7 mM for soluble enzyme and 10 mM for immobilized enzyme. The heat stability of the enzyme was improved by immobilization. Immobilized enzyme retained about 76% of the original activity after 40 days of storage at room temperature (30±2°C).     

Immobilization of dextranase on bentonite

Dextranase (1,6-α-d-glucan 6-glucanohydrolase, EC 3.2.1.11) from Penicillium aculeatum culture has been immobilized on a bentonite support. The matrix-bound enzyme could be stored as acetone-dried powder or as a suspension in acetate buffer, pH 5.6, for about three weeks at 4°C without any loss of activity. There was no change in the specific activity of the enzyme on immobilization and the enzyme yield was 0.1–0.6 mg/g bentonite matrix. In the presence of sucrose, thermal stability of the immobilized enzyme was high and the bound enzyme could be used for about six cycles.     

以聚丙烯腈纤维为载体制备固定化青霉素G酰化酶的研究

以酸部分水解聚丙烯腈纤维为载体 ,以戊二醛为交联剂 ,共价键结合制备了固定化胞外青霉素G酰化酶。当水解后的载体中 NH2 基含量为 690 μmol g和含水量为 64%时 ,对酶蛋白的固定量达 1 0 0mg g以上 ,固定化酶的活力达 2 30 0IU g ,酶活力总产率为 30 % ,固定化效率为 56%。酶活力的总产率和固定化率随加酶量的增加而降低。该酶可以将浓度为 2 5%～1 2 5%的青霉素G钾盐水解 98%以上。批投青霉素G钾盐为 1 0g,酶负荷为 1 50IU g(PGK) ,经2 0批水解反应后 ,剩余酶活力为 80 %。用二硫基苏醣醇处理固定化酶 ,对水解青霉素G钾盐的操作稳定性有促进作用。固定化酶的室温保存半衰期为 1 30d。用戊二醛和硼氢化钠溶液处理固定化酶后 ,酶活力的室温保存稳定性有所降低。     

Immobilization on Eupergit C of cyclodextrin glucosyltransferase (CGTase) and properties of the immobilized biocatalyst

The extreme thermophilic cyclodextrin glucanotransferase (CGTase) from Thermoanaerobacter sp. was covalently attached to Eupergit C. Different immobilization parameters (incubation time, ionic strength, pH, ratio enzyme/support, etc.) were optimized. The maximum yield of bound protein was around 80% (8.1 mg/g support), although the recovery of β-cyclodextrin cyclization activity was not higher than 11%. The catalytic efficiency was lower than 15%. Results were compared with previous studies on covalent immobilization of CGTase.

The enzymatic properties of immobilized CGTase were investigated and compared with those of the soluble enzyme. Soluble and immobilized CGTases showed similar optimum temperature (80–85 °C) and pH (5.5) values, but the pH profile of the immobilized CGTase was broader at higher pH values. The thermoinactivation of the CGTase coupled to Eupergit C was slower than the observed with the native enzyme. The half-life of the immobilized enzyme at 95 °C was five times higher than that of the soluble enzyme. The immobilized CGTase maintained 40% of its initial activity after 10 cycles of 24 h each. After immobilization, the selectivity of CGTase (determined by the ratio CDs/oligosaccharides) was notably shifted towards oligosaccharide production.     

Silanized palygorskite for lipase immobilization

Lipase from Candida lipolytica has been immobilized on 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane-modified palygorskite support. Scanning electron micrographs proved the covalently immobilization of C. lipolytica lipase on the palygorskite support through glutaraldehyde. Using an optimized immobilization protocol, a high activity of 3300 U/g immobilized lipase was obtained. Immobilized lipase retained activity over wider ranges of temperature and pH than those of the free enzyme. The optimum pH of the immobilized lipase was at pH 7.0–8.0, while the optimum pH of free lipase was at 7.0. The retained activity of the immobilized enzyme was improved both at lower and higher pH in comparison to the free enzyme. The immobilized enzyme retained more than 70% activity at 40 °C, while the free enzyme retained only 30% activity. The immobilization stabilized the enzyme with 81% retention of activity after 10 weeks at 30 °C whereas most of the free enzyme was inactive after a week. The immobilized enzyme retains high activity after eight cycles. The kinetic constants of the immobilized and free lipase were also determined. The K_m and V_max values of immobilized lipase were 0.0117 mg/ml and 4.51 μmol/(mg min), respectively.     

Immobilization of epoxide hydrolase from Aspergillus niger onto DEAE-cellulose: enzymatic properties and application for the enantioselective resolution of a racemic epoxide

Recombinant epoxide hydrolase (EH) from Aspergillus niger can be a very promising tool for the resolution of various racemic epoxides by enantioselective hydrolysis. The enzyme was successfully immobilized by ionic adsorption onto DEAE-cellulose (99% yield, 70% of retention activity). The temperature for maximal activity (40 °C) and the activation energy (38.8 kJ/mol) were similar for both the immobilized and free EHs, whereas the optimal pH was about one unit less for the immobilized enzyme. Thermal stability was also affected by immobilization; the immobilized enzyme appeared to be slightly less stable than the free one. However, a gram-scale resolution of racemic para-chlorostyrene oxide (pCSO) was successfully carried out in a repeated batch reactor, operated for seven cycles. Furthermore, using a very high substrate concentration of 2 M (306 g/L), i.e. biphasic conditions, the resolution of 3 g of pCSO was also achieved in a repeated batch reactor using approximately 300 mg of immobilized EH, corresponding to less than 3 mg of the enzymatic powder.     

金属螯合载体定向固定化木瓜蛋白酶的研究

以磁性金属螯合琼脂糖微球为载体,利用金属螯合配体（IDACu²⁺）与蛋白质表面供电子氨基酸相互作用的原理,定向固定了木瓜蛋白酶。固定化最适条件为Cu²⁺1.5×10^-2mol/g载体、固定化时间4h、固定化pH7.0、给酶量30mg/g载体。固定化酶的最适反应温度70℃、最适反应pH8.0,固定化酶的热稳定性明显高于溶液酶,固定化酶活力回收为68.4％,且有较好的操作稳定性,载体重复使用5次后固定化酶酶活为首次固定化酶79.71%。     

The preparation and characterization of an immobilized l-glutamic decarboxylase and its application for determination of l-glutamic acid

This paper is to study the preparation and characterization of an immobilized L-glutamic decarboxylase (GDC) and develop a sensitive method for the determination of L-glutamate using a new biosensor, which consists of an enzyme column reactor of GDC immobilized on a novel ion exchange resin (carboxymethyl-copolymer of allyl dextran and N.N'-methylene-bisacrylamide CM-CADB) and ion analyzer coupled with a CO(2) electrode. The conditions for the enzyme immobilization were optimized by the parameters: buffer composition and concentration, adsorption equilibration time, amount of enzyme, temperature, ionic strength and pH. The dynamic response of Na(2)HPO(4)-citric acid buffer system selected is much better than that of the others, 0.10 M HAc-0.10 M NaAc and 0.10 M sodium citrate-0.10 M citric acid. The initial rate of the enzyme reaction v(0) in this buffer system is 1.76 mol. l(-1) min(-1), moreover, the rate of the enzyme reaction appears linear in the first 4 min. The optimum adsorption equilibrium time is around 6 h. The amount of enzyme adsorbed on CM-CADB resin affects the response to substrate L-glutamic acid, the widest range of linearity is obtained with over 30 mg (GDC)/g(resin). The GDC activity immobilized on CM-CADB reaches a maximum when the immobilization temperature was kept around 40 degrees C. pH was kept at 4.4 when measuring the activity of the immobilized GDC. No variation of the activity of immobilized GDC is observed when the capacity is over 2.5 meq/g.(CM-CADB resin). The properties of the immobilized enzyme on CM-CADB were characterized. No significant improvement can be achieved when the substrate concentration exceeds 12.00 mmol/l, where the activity of immobilized GDC is equal to 1.58 mmol/l.min.g. The optimum pH is found to be 5.2, which changes 0.2 unit, comparing with that of the free GDC (5.0). The optimum temperature is found to be around 48 degrees C, which is lower than that of free GDC (55 degrees C). The critical temperature of the free GDC and the immobilized GDC is approximately 50 degrees C and 45 degrees C, respectively. The half-life of the activity is 127 days when the immobilized enzyme was stored in the cold (4 degrees C). An immobilized GDC enzyme column reactor matched with a flow injection system-ion analyzer coupled with CO(2) electrode-data collection system made up the original form of the apparatus of biosensor for determining of L-glutamic acid. The determination conditions are that the buffer solution is 0.10 M Na(2)HPO(4)-0.05 M citric acid at pH 4.4 and t = 37 degrees C. The limit of detection is 1.0 x 10(-)(5) M. The linearity response is in the range of 5 x 10 (-2) - 5 x 10 (-5) M. The equation of linear regression of the calibration curve is y = 43.3x + 181.6 (y is the milli-volt of electrical potential response, x is the logarithm of the concentration of the substrate of L-glutamic acid). The correlation coefficient equals 0.99. The coefficient of variation equals 2.7%.     

Biodiesel production from pomace oil by using lipase immobilized onto olive pomace

In the present work, microbial lipase from Thermomyces lanuginosus was immobilized by covalent binding onto olive pomace. Immobilized support material used to produce biodiesel with pomace oil and methanol. The properties of the support and immobilized derivative were evaluated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The maximum immobilization of T. lanuginosus was obtained as 18.67 mg/g support and the highest specific activity was 10.31 U/mg protein. The properties of immobilized lipase were studied. The effects of protein concentration, pH and buffer concentration on the immobilization and lipase activity were investigated. Biodiesel production using the immobilized lipase was realized by a three-step addition of methanol to avoid strong substrate inhibition. Under the optimized conditions, the maximum biodiesel yield was 93% at 25 °C in 24 h reaction. The immobilized enzyme retained its activity during the 10 repeated batch reactions.     

Immobilization of alpha-chymotrypsin on poly(urethane-graft-acrylic acid)

A study was made of the immobilization of alpha-chymotrypsin (alpha-CT) onto a previously well characterized synthetic polyurethane grafted with acrylic acid P(U-g-AA). The P(U-g-AA) had previously been prepared using 2,2'-azo-bis-isobutyronitrile (AIBN) as a radical initiator and acrylic acid as monomer in the presence of an unsaturated polyurethane in solution at 60 degrees C. Some kinetic parameters of both the native enzyme and the enzyme immobilized on the P(U-g-AA) were evaluated. Using a Lineweaver-Burk plot (double reciprocal), it was found that the Michaelis-Menten constant (Km(for the immobilized enzyme was (4.0 +/- 0.9) x 10(-3) M and that of the free enzyme was (3.0 +/- 0.2) x 10(-3) M. The enzyme alpha-chymotrypsin was immobilized on the grafted polyurethane micelles/aggregates with about 45% retention of activity. Also the immobilized alpha-CT retained this activity for at least 6 weeks. The immobilized enzyme was found to have a maximum stability at 43 degrees C compared with 36 degrees C in the case of free enzyme, and the pH optimum was shifted from pH 6.6 to pH 8.2. The long-term operational stability of the enzyme was investigated and this is of interest since the enzyme is probably trapped physically in a micellar environment. The assay of the enzyme was carried out in 0.01 M phosphate buffer, pH 7.5, using p-nitrophenyl acetate as a substrate. No inhibition of alpha-CT in the presence of the synthetic ungrafted and grafted polyurethane was observed.     

Immobilization of fuculose-1-phosphate aldolase from E. coli to glyoxal-agarose gels by multipoint covalent attachment

Recombinant fuculose 1-phosphate aldolase (FucA) from E. coli has been immobilized by multipoint covalent attachment to glyoxal-agarose gels. Experiments, varying the main parameters that control the immobilization process (surface density of aldehyde groups, temperature, pH), were carried out. An immobilization yield of 80-90% and FucA retained activity on immobilized derivative of 10-20% can be achieved when pH 10, 20°C and 200 µmoles cm^-3 of aldehyde groups was used. The observed activity loss in the immobilization process might be related to the fact that the complex quaternary structure of the enzyme could not be maintained. A short contact-time enzyme support is required to obtain high ratio of active to total immobilized enzyme.


A highly loaded derivative of immobilized FucA (65 AU cm^-3 of support) has been prepared to use in aldol condensation reactions. Reactions catalyzed by these aldolases involve the use of non-conventional media because of substrate solubility. For instance, the condensation of dihydroxyacetone phosphate (DHAP) and Z-amino-propanal, Z-(R)-alaninal and Z-(S)- alaninal in highly concentrated water-in-oil emulsions gave synthetic yields of 40, 25 and 29% respectively.     

Immobilization of Amaranthus leaf oxalate oxidase on alkylamine glass

A membrane bound oxalate oxidase from leaves of Amaranthus spionsus has been partially purified and immobilized on alkylamine glass with a yield of 9.2 mg protein/g support. The enzyme retained 99.4% of initial activity of free enzyme after immobilization. There was no change in the optimum pH (3.5) and Vmax but the temperature for maximum activity was slightly decreased (35 degrees C) and energy of activation (Ea) and Km for oxalate were increased after immobilization. The immobilized enzyme preparation was stable for 6 months, when stored in distilled water at 4 degrees C. Presence of Cl- did not affect the activity of immobilized enzyme.     

Stabilization of immobilized l-arabinose isomerase for the production of d-tagatose from d-galactose

The aim of this work was to develop a stable immobilized enzyme biocatalyst for the isomerization of d -galactose to d -tagatose at high temperature. l -Arabinose isomerase from the hyperthermophilic bacterium Thermotoga maritima (TMAI) was produced as a (His)₆-tagged protein, immobilized on a copper–chelate epoxy support and subjected to several postimmobilization treatments aimed at increasing its operational and structural stability. Treatment with glutaraldehyde and ethylenediamine resulted in a more than twofold increase in the operational stability and in all enzyme subunits linked, directly or indirectly, to the support via covalent bonds. A postimmobilization treatment of the immobilized derivatives with mercaptoethanol for the removal of any remaining copper ions, determined a further increase of the operational biocatalytic activity. Immobilized derivatives subjected to both treatments were used for the bioconversion of 18 g/L d -galactose to d -tagatose at 80°C in a packed bed reactor in three repeated cycles and showed a better operational stability compared with the literature data. This study shows that a postimmobilization stabilization treatment with glutaraldehyde and ethylenediamine can stabilize the multi-subunit structure of an enzyme immobilized on a metal-chelate epoxy support with an increase of its operational stability, results that are not easily achievable with the sole immobilization on epoxy or metal chelate-epoxy supports in the case of complex multimeric enzymes with geometric incongruence with the support.     

Immobilization of cellulase onto electrospun polyacrylonitrile (PAN) nanofibrous membranes and its application to the reducing sugar production from microalgae

This study demonstrates a method to prepare an immobilized cellulase by using an electrospun polyacrylonitrile (PAN) nanofibrous membrane as the support. To obtain an immobilized cellulase with high hydrolytic activity, the immobilization conditions including activation time, enzyme concentration, immobilization time, and temperature were optimized. Under those conditions, the immobilized cellulase possessed a protein loading of 30 mg/g-support and a specific activity of 3.2 U/mg-protein. After immobilization, the enzymatic stability of cellulase against pH and thermal stresses was improved. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) measurements also revealed that the cellulase was covalently bonded to the supports. The immobilized cellulase was then used to hydrolyze cell wall of microalgae for the production of reducing sugars. Analyses using response surface methodology (RSM) show that the hydrolysis yield was affected by the reaction temperature, pH, and substrate/cellulase mass ratio, and a hydrolysis yield of 60.86% could be obtained at 47.85 °C, pH 5.82, and a substrate/cellulase mass ratio of 40 g-substrate/g-cellulase. This result suggests that the proposed scheme for the cellulase immobilization has great potential for the application to the reducing sugar production.     

Immobilization of Aspergillus oryzae β-galactosidase in ion exchange resins by combined ionic-binding method and cross-linking

The main objective of the present work is to study the immobilization process of Aspergillus oryzae β-galactosidase using the ionic exchange resin Duolite A568 as carrier. Initially, the immobilization process by ionic binding was studied through a central composite design (CCD), by analyzing the simultaneous influences of the enzyme concentration and pH on the immobilization medium. The results indicate that the retention of enzymatic activity during the immobilization process was strongly dependant of those variables, being maximized at pH 4.5 and enzyme concentration of 16 g/L. The immobilized enzyme obtained under the previous conditions was subjected to a cross-linking process with glutaraldehyde and the conditions that maximized the activity were a glutaraldehyde concentration of 3.83 g/L and cross-linking time of 1.87 h. The residual activity of the immobilized enzyme without glutaraldehyde cross-linking was 51% of the initial activity after 30 uses, while the enzyme with cross-linking immobilization was retained 90% of its initial activity. The simultaneous influence of pH and temperature on the immobilized β-galactosidase activity was also studied through a central composite design (CCD). The results indicate a greater stability on pH variations when using the cross-linking process.     

Immobilization of trypsin on chitosan gels: use of different activation protocols and comparison with other supports

Trypsin was immobilized on chitosan gels coagulated with 0.1 or 1 M NaOH and activated with glutaraldehyde or glycidol. The derivatives were characterized by their recovered activity, thermal (40, 55 and 70 degrees C) and alkaline (pH 11) stabilities, amount of enzyme immobilized on gels for several enzyme loads (8-14 mg(protein)/g(Gel)) and compared to agarose derivatives. Enzyme loads higher than 14 mg(protein)/g(Gel) can be immobilized on glutaraldehyde derivatives, which showed 100% immobilization yield and, for loads up to 8 mg(protein)/g(Gel), 100% recovered activity. Activation with glycidol led to lower immobilization yields than the ones obtained with glutaraldehyde, 61% for agarose-glyoxyl (AgGly) with low grade of activation and 16% for the chitosan-glyoxyl (ChGly), but allowed obtaining the most stable derivative (ChGly), that was 660-fold more stable than the soluble enzyme at 55 and 70 degrees C-approximately threefold more stable than AgGly. The ChGly derivative presented also the highest stability during incubation at pH 11. Analyses of lysine residue contents in soluble and immobilized trypsin indicated formation of multipoint bonds between enzyme and support, for glyoxyl derivatives.     

Preparation and properties of an immobilized pectinlyase for the treatment of fruit juices

Pectinlyase, present in different commercial pectinases used in juice technology, was immobilized on alginate beads. The optimal conditions were: 0.17 g alginate ml(-1), 1.2% (w/v or v/v) enzyme concentration and acetic-HCl/glycine-HCl buffer at pH 3.6 or tris-HCl/imidazole buffer at pH 6.4. Maximum percentage of immobilization (10.6%) was obtained with Rapidase C80. Kinetic parameters of free and immobilized pectinlyase were also determined. The pH and temperature at which activity of soluble and immobilized enzyme was maximum were 7.2 and 55 degrees C. Thermal stability was not significantly altered by immobilization, especially at 40 degrees C, showing two periods of different stability. Free and immobilized preparation reduced the viscosity of highly esterified pectin from 1.09 to 0.70 and 0.72 mm(2) s(-1), respectively, after 30 min at 40 degrees C. Furthermore, the immobilized enzyme could be re-used through 4 cycles and the efficiency loss in viscosity reduction was found to be only 9.2%.     

Amidase encapsulated in TTAB reversed micelles for the study of transamidation reactions

Amidase, an amide hydrolase enzyme (E.C.3.5.1.4) with acyl transferase activity, was encapsulated in a reversed micellar system composed of the cationic surfactant tetradecyltrimethyl ammonium bromide (TTAB) in heptane/octanol (80/20%) and phosphate buffer at w₀ 11. The reaction used to study the effect of the reversed micellar system on the enzyme behaviour was a transamidation reaction. The effect of surfactant concentration, buffer molarity and pH on the enzyme kinetics was evaluated. Both initial velocities and product yield were measured. The results indicated that a high initial velocity of hydroxamic acid synthesis and also the highest yield (98%) were obtained using the lowest pH value. The effect of TTAB concentration was dependent on the buffer molarity used. The effect of buffer molarity on reversed micelle dimensions was analysed by light scattering. These results showed that the buffer molarity had a strong influence on the reversed micelle radius that correlated with enzyme activity.