Immobilization of neuraminidase and its potential application in the modification of cell surfaces.

Vibrio cholerae neuraminidase was immobilized on the inside of 1.0 mm inner diameter nylon tubing with retention of enzyme activity, when assayed at 37 degrees C and pH 5.5 with mucin as substrate. The stabilities of the immobilized and soluble enzymes were similar for up to 3 hr at 37 degrees C. Preliminary data indicated that immobilized neuraminidase will release sialic acid from the surface of leukemic AKR mouse thymus and spleen lymphocytes; however, the level of immobilized enzyme activity needs to be increased for practical applications. With this improvement immobilized neuraminidase could become a novel preparation for carrying out cell surface modifications with minimal enzyme contamination of the cell.     

Lipase hydration state in the gas phase: sorption isotherm measurements and inverse gas chromatography

The adsorption of water and substrate on immobilized Candida antarctica lipase B was studied by performing adsorption isotherm measurements and using inverse gas chromatography (IGC). Water adsorption isotherm of the immobilized enzyme showed singular profile absorption incompatible with the Brunauer-Emmet-Teller model, probably due to the hydrophobic nature of the support, leading to very low interactions with water. IGC allowed determining the evolution with water thermodynamic activity (a(W)) of both dispersive surface energies and acidity and basicity constants of immobilized enzyme. These results showed that water molecules progressively covered immobilized enzyme, when increasing a(W), leading to a saturation of polar groups above a(W) 0.1 and full coverage of the surface above a(W) 0.25. IGC also enabled relevant experiments to investigate the behavior of substrates under a(W) that they will experience, in a competitive situation with water. Results indicated that substrates had to displace water molecules in order to adsorb on the enzyme from a(W) values ranging from 0.1 to 0.2, depending on the substrate. As the conditions used for these adsorption studies resemble the ones of the continuous enzymatic solid/gas reactor, in which activity and selectivity of the lipase were extensively studied, it was possible to link adsorption results with particular effects of water on enzyme properties.     

Alpha-D-Mannosidase. Preparation and properties of free and insolubilized enzyme.

Alpha-D-Mannosidase (alpha-D-mannoside mannohydrolase, EC 3.2.1.24) has been purified to homogeneity as demonstrated by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and ultracentrifugation. The molecular weight of the enzyme is approx. 200000; the protein appears to contain 4 subunits, with molecular weights of 66000 and 44000. The enzyme was immobilized on Sepharose and the properties of the coupled and free enzyme were compared. Both were stable up to 70 degrees C with rapid loss of activity between 75-80 degrees C; both retained 25-30% activity in 6 M urea and 65% of the original activity could be restored in the coupled preparation by removal of the urea. The pH maximum of each form was approximately the same, with the maximum of the immobilized enzyme shifted slightly to a lower pH. The coupled alpha-D-mannosidase presented in this report offers the possibility of digesting high molecular weight substrates, such as glycoproteins, with the advantages of (1) recovering large quantities of digested substrate; (2) recovery of the active glycosidase; and (3) digestion at high temperatures and under conditions that denature many proteins.     

Immobilization of enzymes on spongy polyvinyl alcohol cryogels: the example of beta-galactosidase from Aspergillus oryzae.

The catalytic properties of a beta-galactosidase from Aspergillus oryzae, entrapped into a spongy polyvinyl alcohol cryogel, were studied. This polymeric matrix was selected because of its mild conditions of preparation and its stability, biocompatibility, structural strength and diffusive properties. The enzyme was entrapped, in high percentage, into cryogel sponges and its activity and kinetic parameters were determined and compared with those of the free enzyme, using as substrates o-nitrophenyl-beta-galactopyranoside (ONPG) or lactose. The immobilized enzyme showed a reduced activity with ONPG and lactose, probably because of substrate diffusion limitations through the matrix, but it was more stable to temperature, pH and ionic strength than the free enzyme. Lactose hydrolysis under continuous experimental conditions was performed using the matrix-enzyme cited above.     

Immobilized CALB Catalyzed Transesterification of Soybean Oil and Phytosterol

Candida antarctica lipase B (CALB) was immobilized on Fe₃O₄/SiO_x-g-P(GMA) polymer carrier to catalyzed the transesterification of soybean oil and phytosterol. The enzyme loading of the obtained particles was 98.7 mg/g supports and the enzyme activity was 1226.5 U/g. The average particle size was 100.5?±?1.30 nm and the magnetization was 15.80 emu/g. The immobilized enzyme showed higher activities at a wider range of pH and temperatures. Its optimum reaction temperature was up to 50 °C; increased by 5 °C compared to the free enzyme. The obtained magnetic immobilized Fe₃O₄/SiO_x-g-P(GMA) lipase was nanoscale. First-grade soybean oils were used as a substrate. System pH was adjusted to 7.0. The optimal reaction temperature was 50 °C and the reaction time was 3 h. The phytosterol concentration of 5% and immobilized CALB of 2% were obtained. The conversion rate of transesterification reaction between soybean oil and phytosterol was 86.2%. The use of magnets can quickly separate the immobilized enzymes from the substrates. The relative activity of the immobilized enzymes was 83.0% when reused seven times. The prepared immobilized CALB can improve efficiently enzyme activity and reutilization.     

Enzymological characteristics of avian influenza A virus neuraminidase

Neuraminidases of 18 strains of avian influenza A virus were examined by both colorimetric and fluorometric assays using fetuin and 4-methylumbelliferyl-N-Ac-alpha-D-neuraminide as substrates, respectively, to compare them with those of human influenza A and B viruses. The ratios of the neuraminidase activity of avian influenza virus measured by the colorimetric assay method to that measured by the fluorometric assay were distributed in the range of 2.4-20.3. The enzyme of avian influenza virus showed calcium-ion dependence in both assay methods. These results suggest that neuraminidase of avian influenza A virus is varies greatly from one strain to another in substrate specificity as compared with those of human influenza A and B viruses, and that some strains of avian influenza A virus have a neuraminidase with unique enzymological characteristics different from that of human influenza A virus as well as that of influenza B virus.     

Enzyme-based high-performance liquid chromatography supports as probes of enzyme activity and inhibition: the immobilization of trypsin and alpha-chymotrypsin on an immobilized artificial membrane high-performance liquid chromatography support.

Immobilized artificial membrane (IAM) HPLC supports have been used to immobilize the enzymes alpha-chymotrypsin and trypsin. The enzymes were trapped in hydrophobic cavities on the support and were not covalently attached to the IAM surface. The resulting IAM-enzyme supports retained the hydrolytic activity of the immobilized enzymes: the IAM-trypsin support catalyzed the hydrolysis of N alpha-benzoyl-DL-arginine-p-nitroanilide (BAPNA), and the IAM-alpha-chymotrypsin support (IAM-ACHT) catalyzed the hydrolysis of a number of substrates, including tryptophan methyl ester. The activities of both supports were decreased by known enzyme inhibitors and the activity of the IAM-ACHT was affected by changes in pH and temperature. When a substrate was chromatographed on an IAM-ACHT HPLC, the hydrolytic activity of the immobilized enzyme could be determined from the resulting substrate/product ratios. These data were obtained either directly from the IAM-ACHT chromatogram or from the chromatogram produced by a coupled column system. The results of this study indicate that IAM-immobilized alpha-chymotrypsin and trypsin can be used as chromatographic probes for the qualitative determination of enzyme/substrate and enzyme/inhibitor interactions.     

Catalytic properties and active-site structural features of immobilized horse liver alcohol dehydrogenase

Alcohol dehydrogenase from horse liver was immobilized by covalent attachment to CNBr-Sepharose and by adsorption to octyl-Sepharose CL-4B, a hydrophobic analog of Sepharose. In each case, rate constants for the binding and release of coenzyme and for the oxidation of substrates were measured based on the concentration of accessible active-site zinc atoms determined by titration with a paramagnetic inhibitor. All rate constants were substantially reduced upon immobilization; however, the rate constant of immobilized enzyme for ethanol oxidation was independent of the immobilization method, whereas the rate constant for cyclohexanol oxidation was lower for enzyme immobilized to octyl-Sepharose. Consequently, the substrate specificity of the two immobilized enzyme samples differed by an order of magnitude. Moreover, EPR spectroscopy studies and computer graphic analyses of spin labels occupying three defined regions of the active-site domain indicated that the active-site conformation adjacent to the catalytic zinc atom was similar in the two samples while the conformation slightly further from the zinc atom was different. This result may explain why the two immobilized enzyme preparations exhibited the same rate constant toward a small substrate (ethanol) yet different rate constants toward a larger substrate (cyclohexanol), whose rate constant is expected to be sensitive to a larger portion of the active site.     

Acetaldehyde-ethanol exchange in vivo during ethanol oxidation.

Bovine thrombin was immobilized on sepharose 4B through an oxidized sialic acid group on its B chain. The immobilized thrombin was reduced with β-mercaptoethanol in 8 m urea under conditions that were shown to be sufficient to reduce the disulfide bond connecting the A and B chains. The immobilized B chain that remained after the A chain was washed away was allowed to refold, and the disulfide bonds were reoxidized with a mixture of oxidized and reduced glutathione under anaerobic conditions. The refolded immobilized B chain exhibited 15–25% of the tosyl-l-arginine methyl ester esterase activity of the immobilized thrombin and a significant amount of fibrinogen clotting activity. The immobilized B chain behaved qualitatively like immobilized thrombin towards two oligopeptide fibrinogen-like substrates and showed no activity towards lysine or arginine peptide bonds in a fragment of ribonuclease.Since the recovered activity was greater than that computed for a random refolding of seven -SH groups to form three SS bonds, it is concluded that the B chain retains a sufficient number of interacting groups to refold correctly, and it is suggested that prothrombin might fold in localized domains with only weak interactions between domains. The behavior of the B chain towards the substrates tested suggests that the A chain does not play a significant role in determining the catalytic specificity of thrombin or in distinguishing its specificity from that of trypsin.     

Simple and efficient immobilization of lipase B from Candida antarctica on porous styrene-divinylbenzene beads

Two commercial porous styrene-divinylbenzene beads (Diaion HP20LX and MCI GEL CHP20P) have been evaluated as supports to immobilize lipase B from Candida antarctica (CALB). MCI GEL CHP20P rapidly immobilized the enzyme, permitting a very high loading capacity: around 110 mg CALB/wet g of support compared to the 50 mg obtained using decaoctyl Sepabeads. Although enzyme specificity of the enzyme immobilized on different supports was quite altered by the support used in the immobilization, specific activity of the enzyme immobilized on MCI GEL CHP20P was always higher than those found using decaoctyl Sepabeads for all assayed substrates. Thus, a CALB biocatalyst having 3-8 folds (depending on the substrate) higher activity/wet gram of support than the commercial Novozym 435 was obtained. Half-live of CAL-Diaion HP20LX at 60 °C was 2-3 higher than the one of Novozym 435, it was 30-40 higher in the presence of 50% acetonitrile and it was around 100 folds greater in the presence of 10 M hydrogen peroxide.Results indicate that styrene-divinylbenzene supports may be promising alternatives as supports to immobilize CALB.     

Properties of human chorion neuraminidase

Some properties of human chorion neuraminidase were studied. Using n-butanol, a solubilized preparation of neuraminidase with specific activity considerably exceeding the initial activity of the chorion homogenate was obtained. The pH-dependence and substrate specificity of the enzyme towards low molecular weight (sialylglycolipids and sialylglycoproteins) native substrates were examined. These properties of solubilized neuraminidase from human chorion were found to be similar to those of the lysosomal enzyme from other animal tissues. The results abtained are consistent with the properties of neuraminidase from native chorion and amniotic fluid cell cultures. Based on the substrate specificity of the solubilized enzyme, it was found that chorion biopsy specimens could be used for prenatal diagnosing of sialidoses and mucolipidoses IV. Some properties of solubilized human chorion beta-galacotosidase were studied.     

Cellular localization and substrate specificity of isoelectric forms of human liver neuraminidase activity.

The four major isoelectric forms of human liver neuraminidase (with pI values between 3.4 and 4.8) have been isolated by preparative isoelectric focusing and characterized with regard to their substrate specificity using glycoprotein, glycopeptide, oligosaccharide and ganglioside natural substrates. All forms exhibited a rather broad linkage specificity and were capable of hydrolyzing sialic acid glycosidically linked alpha 2-3, alpha 2-6 and alpha 2-8, although differential rates of hydrolysis of the substrates were found for each form. The most acidic form 1 (pI 3.4) was most active on sialyl-lactose, whereas form 2 (pI 3.9) and 3 (pI 4.4) were most active on the more hydrophobic ganglioside substrates. Form 4 (pI 4.8) was most active on the low-Mr hydrophilic substrates (fetuin glycopeptide, sialyl-lactose). Each form was less active on the glycoprotein fetuin than on a glycopeptide derived from fetuin. Organelle-enriched fractions were prepared from fresh human liver tissue and neuraminidase activity on 2'-(4-methylumbelliferyl)-alpha-D-N-acetylneuraminic acid was recovered in plasma membrane, microsomal, lysosomal and cytosolic preparations. Isoelectric focusing of the neuraminidase activity recovered in each of these preparations resulted in significantly different isoelectric profiles (number, relative amounts and pI values of forms) for each preparation. The differential substrate specificity of the isoelectric forms and the different isoelectric focusing profiles of neuraminidase activity recovered in subcellular-enriched fractions suggest that specific isoelectric forms with broad but defined substrate specificity are enriched at separate sites within the cell.     

Modulation of the properties of immobilized CALB by chemical modification with 2,3,4-trinitrobenzenesulfonate or ethylendiamine. Advantages of using adsorbed lipases on hydrophobic supports

Lipase B from Candida antarctica (CALB) has been adsorbed on octyl-agarose or covalently immobilized on cyanogen bromide agarose. Then, both biocatalysts have been modified with ethylenediamine (EDA) or 2,4,6-trinitrobenzensulfonic acid (TNBS) just using one reactive or using several modifications in a sequential way (the most complex preparation was CALB–TNBS–EDA–TNBS). Covalently immobilized enzyme decreased the activity by 40–60% after chemical modifications, while the adsorbed enzyme improved the activity on p-nitrophenylbutyrate (pNPB) by EDA modification (even by a 2-fold factor). These biocatalysts were further characterized. The results showed that the effects of the chemical modification on the enzyme features were strongly dependent on the immobilization protocol utilized, the experimental conditions where the catalyst will be utilized, and the substrate. Significant changes in the activity/pH profile were observed after the chemical modifications. The effect of the modifications on the enzyme activity depends on the substrate and the reaction conditions: enzyme specificity is strongly altered by the chemical modification. Moreover, enzyme activity versus pNPB (using octyl-CALB–EDA) or versus R methyl mandelate (using octyl-CALB–TNBS) increased by almost a 2-fold factor at pH 5. The stability of the modified enzymes at different pH and in the presence of organic solvents generally decreased after the modifications, usually by no more than a 2-fold factor. However, under some conditions, some stabilization was found. CALB enantioselectivity in the hydrolysis of R/S methyl mandelate could be also improved by these chemical modifications (e.g., E-value went from 11 to 16 using octyl-CALB–TNBS at pH 5). Therefore, solid phase chemical modification of immobilized lipases may become a powerful tool in the design of lipase libraries with very different properties, each immobilized preparation may be used to produce a variety of forms with altered properties.     

Further Characterization of a Myelin-Associated Neuraminidase: Properties and Substrate Specificity

A neuraminidase activity in myelin isolated from adult rat brains was examined. The enzyme activity in myelin was first compared with that in microsomes using N-acetylneuramin(alpha 2----3)lactitol (NL) as a substrate. In contrast to the microsomal neuraminidase which exhibited a sharp pH dependency for its activity, the myelin enzyme gave a very shallow pH activity curve over a range between 3.6 and 5.9. The myelin enzyme was more stable to heat denaturation (65 degrees C) than the microsomal enzyme. Inhibition studies with a competitive inhibitor, 2,3-dehydro-2-deoxy-N-acetylneuraminic acid, showed the Ki value for the myelin neuraminidase to be about one-fifth of that for the microsomal enzyme (1.3 X 10(-6) M versus 6.3 X 10(-6) M). The apparent Km values for the myelin and the microsomal enzyme were 1.3 X 10(-4) M and 4.3 X 10(-4) M, respectively. An enzyme preparation that was practically devoid of myelin lipids was then prepared and its substrate specificity examined. The "delipidated enzyme" could hydrolyze fetuin, NL, and ganglioside substrates, including GM1 and GM2. When the delipidated enzyme was exposed to high temperature (55 degrees C) or low pH (pH 2.54), the neuraminidase activities toward NL and GM3 decreased at nearly the same rate. Both fetuin and 2,3-dehydro-2-deoxy-N-acetylneuraminic acid inhibited NL and GM3 hydrolysis. With 2,3-dehydro-2-deoxy-N-acetylneuraminic acid, inhibition of NL was greater than that of GM3; however, the Ki values for each substrate were almost identical. GM3 and GM1 also competitively inhibited the hydrolysis of NL and NL similarly inhibited GM3 hydrolysis by the enzyme. These results indicate that rat brain myelin has intrinsic neuraminidase activities toward nonganglioside as well as ganglioside substrates, and that these two enzyme activities are likely catalyzed by a single enzyme entity.     

Isolation and properties of enzyme preparations from the whale pancreas

A simple and convenient technique was developed for isolation of the proteolytic enzyme complexes from the whale (Balaenoptera) pancreas. The proposed techniques enables the proteolytic complexes to be obtained with the protein yield 2.6 times higher than the classical procedure. The proteolytic activity increased 3.2 times (casein as a substrate), esterase activities, 1.4 times (N-benzoyl-L-tyrosine methyl ester as a substrate) and 1.2 times (N-alpha-benzoyl-L-arginine ethyl ester as a substrate). Soybean and barley trypsin inhibitors and ovomycoid in free and immobilized state inhibit the esterase activities of the proteolytic complexes. An additional purification of the proteolytic complexes was carried out using the affinity sorbent Soybean trypsin inhibitor--Sepharose 4B. The molecular weight of the enzymes determined by means of PAAG electrophoresis was found to be 20 000-20 500. The hydrolysis of some synthetic substrates by the proteolytic enzyme complexes obtained according to the proposed techniques was being studied.     

MEMBRANE-BOUND NEURAMINIDASE IN THE BRAIN OF DIFFERENT ANIMALS: BEHAVIOUR OF THE ENZYME ON ENDOGENOUS SIALO DERIVATIVES AND RATIONALE FOR ITS ASSAY

—The activity of brain membrane-bound neuraminidase on endogenous and exogenous substrates was comparatively studied in various animals (rat, chicken, rabbit, pig, calf and human). The maximum rate of hydrolysis of endogenous substrates by membrane-bound neuraminidase (using a crude preparation of the enzyme) was different in the various animals (from 0·05 to 0·73 units, referred to 1 mg protein) and was obtained under similar but not identical optimum conditions (pH from 4·1 to 5·1; requirement or not of Triton X-100). The maximum degree of hydrolysis of endogenous substates was also different (from 15 to 27 nmol released NeuNAc/mg protein) and was obtained within different incubation periods (from 2 to 18 h). It corresponded (in rabbit, calf, human brain only), or not, to the actual exhaustion of the endogenous substrates. The endogenous substrates were recognized as both gangliosides and sialoglycoproteins. The extent of hydrolysis of sialoglycoproteins varied from 1·5% in rabbit to 15·6% in chicken brain; the hydrolysis of gangliosides (ranging from 14·1% in pig to 53·7% in rabbit brain) reached only in some animals (rabbit, calf, human) the complete transformation of major oligosialogangliosides into the neuraminidase resistant monosialoganglioside GMI. Upon addition of exogenous substrates (sialyl-lactose, ganglioside GD1a, brain sialopeptides, ovine submaxillary mucin) the actual rate of liberation of total NeuNAc (from both endogenous and exogenous substrates) considerably exceeded, although at a different extent (depending on the animal and on the added substrate used) the rate of hydrolysis of sole endogenous substrates. The possibility of an accurate assay of brain membrane-bound neuraminidase in a crude enzyme preparation is evaluated and guidelines for the assay procedure suggested.     

Solid-state protein kinase. A tool for post-synthetically modifying and radioactively labeling proteins in vitro.

The capacity of partially purified rat muscle protein kinase coupled to cyanogen-bromide-activated Sepharose 4B to (radio-)phosphorylate proteins in vitro was evaluated using histones from calf thymus and rat liver and certain proteins as substrates. Data are presented which point to a low substrate specificity of this enzyme. It is demonstrated that even within a short time period histones are efficiently phosphorylated without the introduction of contaminating (phospho-)proteins. Therebye phosphoserine residues are formed. The phosphorylation reaction usually performed at 30 degrees C is shown to function quite efficiently also at 4 degrees C. It proceeds even at 30 degrees C for several hours at pH values close to the physiological range without the release of proteins from the solid matrix. The phosphorus transfer can be largely increased with the use of high ATP concentrations. The stability of the substrates is sufficient to suggest a wide applicability of this solid-state protein kinase in the phosphorylation of proteins either for labeling or as a tool to modify proteins post-synthetically under gentle conditions. The solid enzyme seems to be suitable for radioactively labeling proteins of more complex biological structures, such as membrane surfaces.     

Effects of the immobilization supports on the catalytic properties of immobilized mushroom tyrosinase: a comparative study using several substrates

Mushroom tyrosinase was immobilized from an extract onto glass beads covered with one of the following compounds: the crosslinked totally cinnamoylated derivatives of glycerine, D-sorbitol, D-manitol, 1,2-O-isopropylidene-alpha-D-glucofuranose, D-glucuronic acid, D-gulonic acid, sucrose, D-glucosone, D-arabinose, D-fructose, D-glucose, ethyl-D-glucopyranoside, inuline, dextrine, dextrane or starch, or the partially cinnamoylated derivative 3,5,6-tricinnamoyl-D-glucofuranose which was obtained by the acid hydrolysis of 1,2-O-isopropylidene-alpha-d-glucofuranose. The enzyme was immobilized by direct adsorption onto the support and the quantity of tyrosinase immobilized was found to increase with the hydrophobicity of the supports. The kinetic constants of immobilized tyrosinase acting on the substrates, 4-tert-butylcatechol, dopamine and DL-dopa, were studied. When immobilized tyrosinase acted on 4-tert-butylcatechol, the values of K(m)(app) were lower than these obtained for tyrosinase in solution while, when dopamine and DL-dopa were used, the K(m)(app) were higher. The order of the substrates as regards their ionizable groups, DL-dopa (two ionizable groups)>dopamine (one ionizable group)>4-tert-butylcatechol (no ionizable group) coincided with the order of the K(m)(app) values shown by tyrosinase immobilized on the hydrophobic supports, and was the inverse of that observed for tyrosinase in solution. The K(m)(app) values of immobilized tyrosinase were in all cases higher than those of soluble tyrosinase and depended on the nature of the support and the hydrophobicity of the substrate, meaning that it is possible to design supports with different degrees of selectivity towards a mixture of enzyme substrates in the reaction medium.     

Depolymerization of starch and pectin using superporous matrix supported enzymes

Immobilized enzyme catalyzed biotransformations involving macromolecular substrates and/or products are greatly retarded due to slow diffusion of large substrate molecules in and out of the typical enzyme supports. Slow diffusion of macromolecules into the matrix pores can be speeded up by use of macroporous supports as enzyme carriers. Depolymerization reactions of polysaccharides like starch, pectin, and dextran to their respective low molecular weight products are some of the reactions that can benefit from use of such superporous matrices. In the present work, an indigenously prepared rigid cross-linked cellulose matrix (called CELBEADS) has been used as support for immobilizing alpha amylase (1,4-alpha-D-glucan glucanohydrolase, EC 3.2.1.1.) and pectinase (endo-PG: poly(1,4-alpha-galactouronide) glycanohydrolase, EC 3.2.1.15). The immobilized enzymes were used for starch and pectin hydrolysis respectively, in batch, packed bed and expanded bed modes. The macroporosity of CELBEADS was found to permit through-flow and easy diffusion of substrates pectin and starch to enzyme sites in the porous supports and gave reaction rates comparable to the rates obtained using soluble enzymes.     

Complete reactivation of immobilized derivatives of a trimeric glutamate dehydrogenase from Thermus thermophillus

First, the enzyme immobilized on cyanide bromide agarose beads (CNBr) (that did not involve all enzyme subunits in the immobilization) has been crosslinked with aldehyde-dextran. This preparation did not any longer release enzyme subunits and become fully stable at pH 4 and 25 °C.Then, the stabilities of many different enzyme preparations (enzyme immobilized on CNBr, that derivative further crosslinked with aldehyde-dextran, enzyme immobilized on highly activated amino-epoxy supports, GDH immobilized on supports having a few animo groups and many epoxy groups, GDH immobilized on glyoxyl-agarose beads at pH 7, and that preparation further incubated at pH 10, and finally the enzyme immobilized on this support directly at pH 10) were compared at pH 4 and high temperatures, conditions where both dissociation and distortion play a relevant role in the enzyme inactivation. The most stable preparation was that prepared at pH 7 and incubated at pH 10, followed by GDH immobilized on amino and epoxy supports and the third one was the enzyme immobilized on glyoxyl-agarose at pH 10.The incubation of all enzyme preparations in saturated guanidine solutions produced the full inactivation of all enzyme preparations. When not all enzyme subunits were immobilized, activity was not recovered at all. Among the other derivatives, only glyoxyl preparations (the most inert supports and those where a more intense multipoint covalent attachment were expected) gave significant reactivation when re-incubated in aqueous medium. After optimization of the reactivation conditions, the enzyme immobilized at pH 7 and later incubated at pH 10 recovered 100% of the enzyme activity.