Biocatalyst engineering exerts a dramatic effect on selectivity of hydrolysis catalyzed by immobilized lipases in aqueous medium

It has been found that enantioselectivity of lipases is strongly modified when their immobilization is performed by involving different areas of the enzyme surface, by promoting a different degree of multipoint covalent immobilization or by creating different environments surrounding different enzyme areas. Moreover, selectivity of some immobilized enzyme molecules was much more modulated by the experimental conditions than other derivatives. Thus, some immobilized derivatives of Candida rugosa (CRL) and C. antarctica-B (CABL) lipases are hardly enantioselective in the hydrolysis of chiral esters of (R,S)-mandelic acid under standard conditions (pH 7.0 and 25°C) (E<2). However, other derivatives of the same enzymes exhibited a very good enantioselectivity under nonstandard conditions. For example, CRL adsorbed on PEI-coated supports showed a very high enantio-preference towards S-isomer (E=200) at pH 5. On the other hand, CABL adsorbed on octyl-agarose showed an interesting enantio-preference towards the R-isomer (E=25) at pH 5 and 4°C. These biotransformations are catalyzed by isolated lipase molecules acting on fully soluble substrates and in the absence of interfacial activation against external hydrophobic interfaces. Under these conditions, lipase catalysis may be associated to important conformational changes that can be strongly modulated via biocatalyst and biotransformation engineering. In this way, selective biotransformations catalyzed by immobilized lipases in macro-aqueous systems can be easily modulated by designing different immobilized derivatives and reaction conditions.     

Enhanced catalytic ability of Candida rugosa lipase immobilized on pore-enlarged hollow silica microspheres and cross-linked by modified dextran in both aqueous and non-aqueous phases

Candida rugosa lipase (CRL) is one of the most widely used lipases. To enhance the catalytic abilities of CRL in both aqueous and non-aqueous phases, hollow silica microspheres (HSMSs) with a pore size of 18.07 nm were used as an immobilization support, and aldehydecontaining dextrans were employed to further cross-link the adsorbed CRL. In the experimental ranges examined, the loading amount of lipase linearly increased to 171 ± 3.4 mg_protein/g_support with the CRL concentration and all the adsorption equilibriums were reached within 30 min. After simple cross-linking, the tolerance to pH 4.0 ～ 8.0 as well as the thermal stability of immobilized CRL at 40 ～ 80°C were both substantially increased, and 82 ± 2.1% activity remaining after the sixth reuse. The immobilized CRL was successfully applied to the resolution of racemic ibuprofen in non-aqueous phase. The initial reaction rate increased by 1.4- and 3.6-fold compared with the rates of adsorbed and native lipases, respectively. Furthermore, the R-ibuprofen was obtained at ee > 93%, and the enantiomeric ratio reached E > 140 at the conversion of 50 ± 1.5% within 48 h.     

The lid is a structural and functional determinant of lipase activity and selectivity

In several lipases access to the enzyme active site is regulated by the position of a mobile structure named the lid. The role of this region in modulating lipase function is reviewed in this paper analysing the results obtained with three different recombinant lipases modified in the lid sequence: Candida rugosa lipase isoform 1 (CRL1), Pseudomonas fragi lipase (PFL) and Bacillus subtilis lipase A (BSLA). A CRL chimera enzyme obtained by replacing its lid with that of another C. rugosa lipase isoform (CRL1LID3) was found to be affected in both activity and enantioselectivity in organic solvent. Variants of the PFL protein in which three polar lid residues were replaced with amino acids strictly conserved in homologous lipases displayed altered chain length preference profile and increased thermostability. On the other hand, insertion of lid structures from structurally homologous enzymes into BSLA, a lipase that naturally does not possess such a lid structure, caused a reduction in the enzyme activity and an altered substrate specificity. These results strongly support the concept that the lid plays an important role in modulating not only activity but also specifity, enantioselectivity and stability of lipase enzymes.     

Candida rugosa lipase encapsulated with magnetic sporopollenin: design and enantioselective hydrolysis of racemic arylpropanoic acid esters

Abstract

The aim of this study was to prepare the encapsulation of Candida rugosa lipase (CRL) with magnetic sporopollenin. The sporopollenin was covalent immobilized onto magnetic nanoparticles (Fe₃O₄), grafted amino (APTES), or epoxy groups (EPPTMS). CRL was sol-gel encapsulated in the presence of magnetic sporopollenin/Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles. The influence of activation agents ([3-(2,3-epoxypropoxy) propyl] trimethoxysilane (EPPTMS), (3-Aminopropyl)triethoxysilane (APTES) and pH and thermal stabilities of the biocatalyst were assessed. Experimental data showed the improved catalytic activity at different pH and temperature values. At 60?°C, free lipase lost its initial activity within 80?min of time, although the encapsulated lipases retained their initial activities of about 65% by APTES and 60% by EPPTMS after 120?min of heat treatment at 60?°C. The catalytic properties of the encapsulated lipases were utilized to hydrolysis of racemic aromatic carboxylic acid methyl esters (Naproxen and 2-phenoxypropionic acid). The results show that the sporopollenin-based encapsulated lipase (Fe-A-Spo-E) has greater enantioselectivity and conversion in comparison with the encapsulated lipase without supports (lipase-enc).     

Novel magnetic microspheres of P (GMA-b-HEMA): preparation, lipase immobilization and enzymatic activity in two phases

Magnetic oleic-acid-coated Fe?O? nanoparticles were first introduced into 1, 1-diphenylethylene (DPE)-controlled radical polymerization system to prepare superparamagnetic microspheres for enzyme immobilization by two steps of polymerization. In the presence of DPE, glycidyl methacrylate, 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate and methacryloxyethyl trimethyl ammonium chloride with charge were selected as copolymering monomers based on their reactive functional group and excellent biocompatibility which were suitable for immobilization of Candida rugosa lipase (CRL). The resulting magnetic microspheres were characterized by means of scanning electron microscope, Fourier transform infrared spectrum, thermogravimetric analysis and vibrating sample magnetometry. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis SDS-PAGE analysis was also conducted to demonstrate whether CRL is covalently immobilized or only physically adsorbed. The results indicated that the polymerization was successfully carried out, and lipase was immobilized on the magnetic microspheres through ionic adsorption and covalent binding under mild conditions. The immobilized lipase exhibited high activity recovery (69.7%), better resistance to pH and temperature inactivation in aqueous phase, as well as superior reusability in nonaqueous phase. The data showed that the resulting carrier could hold an amphiphilic property.     

Reversible enzyme immobilization via a very strong and nondistorting ionic adsorption on support-polyethylenimine composites

New tailor-made anionic exchange resins have been prepared, based on films of large polyethylenimine polymers (e.g., MW 25,000) completely coating, via covalent immobilization, the surface of different porous supports (agarose, silica, polymeric resins). Most proteins contained in crude extracts from different sources have been very strongly adsorbed on them. Ionic exchange properties of such composites strongly depend on the size of polyethylenimine polymers as well as on the exact conditions of the covalent coating of the solids with the polymer. On the contrary, similar coating protocols yield similar matrices by using different porous supports as starting material. For example, 77% of all proteins contained in crude extracts from Escherichia coli were adsorbed, at low ionic strength, on the best matrices, and less than 15% of the adsorbed proteins were eluted from the support in the presence of 0.3 M NaCl. Under these conditions, 100% of the adsorbed proteins were eluted from conventional DEAE supports. Such polyethylenimine-support composites were also very suitable to perform very strong and nondistorting reversible immobilization of industrial enzymes. For example, lipase from Candida rugosa (CRL), beta-galactosidase from Aspergillus oryzae and D-amino acid oxidase (DAAO) from Rhodotorula gracilis, were adsorbed on such matrices in a few minutes at pH 7.0 and 4 degrees C. Immobilized enzymes preserved 100% of catalytic activity and remained fully immobilized in 0.2 M NaCl. In addition to that, CRL and DAAO were highly stabilized upon immobilization. Stabilization of DAAO, a dimeric enzyme, seems to be due to the involvement of both enzyme subunits in the ionic adsorption.     

Enantioselective enzymatic hydrolysis of racemic glycidyl esters by using immobilized porcine pancreas lipase with improved catalytic properties

The crude porcine pancreas lipase (PPL) extract is a mixture of several proteins (mainly lipases and esterases). In order to develop enzymatic catalysts with good catalytic properties for hydrolytic enantioselective reactions in aqueous homogeneous medium, we studied the immobilization of the different enzymes contained in the crude PPL extracts by selective sequential adsorption on hydrophobic supports bearing octyl, octadecyl and phenyl groups. Some minor proteins were selectively adsorbed on octyl and octadecyl supports while the most abundant lipase was adsorbed on the support bearing phenyl groups. The enantioselectivity of the different lipase derivatives were tested considering the hydrolysis of esters of 1,2-epoxi-1-propanol (glycidol). The most abundant lipase contained in the commercial crude PPL extract resulted almost inactive while some lipases contained in low concentrations displayed high activities and enantioselectivities. The most interesting results were obtained with a 28-kDa protein selectively adsorbed on octyl-agarose. With this enzyme derivative, the residual butyric ester of glycidol was recovered with 96% enantiomeric excess at 55% conversion.     

Immobilization of Candida rugosa lipase on glass beads for enantioselective hydrolysis of racemic Naproxen methyl ester

Candida rugosa lipase (CRL) was immobilized on glutaraldehyde-activated aminopropyl glass beads by using covalent binding method or sol-gel encapsulation procedure and improved considerably by fluoride-catalyzed hydrolysis of mixtures of RSi(OCH₃)₃ and Si(OCH₃)₄. The catalytic properties of the immobilized lipases were evaluated into model reactions, i.e. the hydrolysis of p-nitrophenylpalmitate (p-NPP). It has been observed that the percent activity yield of the encapsulated lipase was 166.9, which is 5.5 times higher than that of the covalently immobilized lipase. The enantioselective hydrolysis of racemic Naproxen methyl ester by immobilized lipase was studied in aqueous buffer solution/isooctane reaction system and it was noticed that particularly, the glass beads based encapsulated lipases had higher conversion and enantioselectivity compared to covalently immobilized lipase. In short, the study confirms an excellent enantioselectivity (E > 400) for the encapsulated lipase with an ee value of 98% for S-Naproxen.     

Studies toward stereoselective bionanocatalysis on gold nanoparticles

As yet, different enzymes were immobilized on gold nanoparticles both through adsorption and covalent binding. However, there is only one evaluation if such immobilization influenced enzyme enantioselectivity, which is an essential parameter in biocatalysis. Therefore systematic studies with enzymes immobilized on gold nanoparticles through covalent binding and embedded through adsorption were performed. Adsorption was not efficient method and it significantly lowered enantioselectivity of enzymes. In turn, covalent binding was in most cases very good method of immobilization, especially for Pseudomonas cepacia lipase, where conversion and enantioselectivity were even slightly better than for native enzyme. It was also evaluated that in case of adsorption size of nanoparticles did not influence enantioselectivity, but in case of covalent binding small nanoparticles gave much better results than big ones.     

Glutaraldehyde cross-linking of lipases adsorbed on aminated supports in the presence of detergents leads to improved performance

Lipases from Candida rugosa (CRL) and lipase isoforms A and B from Candida antarctica (CAL-A and CAL-B) were adsorbed on aminated supports in the presence of detergents to have individual lipase molecules. Then, one fraction was washed to eliminate the detergent, and both preparations were treated with glutaraldehyde. The presence of detergent during the cross-linking of the lipases to the support permitted an increase in the recovered activity (in some instances, even by a 10-fold factor). This activity was higher even than that exhibited by the just adsorbed lipases, suggesting that it was not a result of some protective effect of the detergent in the enzyme activity during glutaraldehyde chemical modification. Moreover, the enantioselectivity of the different enzyme preparations was very different if the glutaraldehyde was offered in the presence or in the absence of detergent, in some cases increasing the E value (even by a 7-fold factor in the case of CAL-A in the hydrolysis of (+/-)-2-hydroxy-4-phenylbutyric acid ethyl ester), in other cases even inverting the enantio preference (e.g., in the case of CRL). The irreversible chemical inhibition of the enzyme that was immobilized and cross-linked with glutaraldehyde in the presence of detergents was more rapid than that in the other preparations (by more than a 10-fold factor). This experiment reveals an exposition degree of the active serine in the preparation cross-linked with the support in the presence of detergent that is higher than that in the other preparations. The results suggested that different enzyme structures were "stabilized" by the glutaraldehyde treatment if performed in the presence or in the absence of detergent, and that, in the presence of detergent, a form of the lipase with the serine residue more exposed to the medium and much more active could be obtained. This strategy seems to be of general use to improve the lipase activity to be used in macroaqueous media.     

Synthesis of calix[n]arene-based silica polymers for lipase immobilization

The objective of this study was to prepare new calix[n]arene-based silica polymers for immobilization of Candida rugosa lipase. The amino functionalized calix[4]arene (C4P), calix[6]arene (C6P) and calix[8]arene (C8P)-based silica polymers were used for the covalent attachment of C. rugosa lipase using glutaraldehyde as a coupling agent. The characterization of synthesized CnP polymers and immobilized lipases were made by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) and scanning electron microscope (SEM) techniques. The hydrolytic activities of immobilized lipases (CnP-L) were evaluated and compared with the free enzyme. The activity recovery of immobilized CRL (C. rugosa lipase) based on the carrier C4P, C6P and C8P reaches 74.6%, 68.5% and 51.4%, respectively. The optimal pH and temperature region of the immobilized lipases for the hydrolysis of p-NPP were 7.0 and 50 °C. Nevertheless, the immobilized lipase has good stability, adaptability and reusability in comparison with the free enzyme.     

Investigation of deactivation thermodynamics of lipase immobilized on polymeric carrier

In the present work, we have investigated biochemical thermo-kinetic stability of lipases immobilized on a biocompatible polymeric material. Immobilization of lipase Candida rugosa (CRL) was carried out on biocompatible blend of poly vinyl alcohol (PVA) and chitosan (CHY) support via entrapment and glutardehyde (Glu) cross-linking method to produce PVA:CHY:CRL and PVA:CHY:Glu:CRL as robust biocatalyst. These immobilized lipases were characterized by various physico-biochemical characterization techniques. Later on, thermal and solvent stability of polymer immobilized lipase was determined in term of half-life time (t _0.5), D values, enthalpy (ΔH°), entropy (ΔS°), and free energy (ΔG°) of deactivation at different temperatures and in various solvents. The thermodynamic deactivation stability trend was found as: cross-linked lipase CRL > entrapped lipase CRL > free lipase CRL. Moreover, kinetic parameters, such as K _m, V _max, and catalytic efficiency, were also determined to understand the kinetic features. The polymer immobilized enzyme was reused to investigate the economic viability of the developed biocatalyst.

     

An efficient resolution of racemic secondary alcohols on magnetically separable biocatalyst

The combination of magnetic nanoparticles and mesoporous silica can present a strategy for enzyme immobilization. In this work, magnetic siliceous mesocellular foam functionalized with octyl groups was prepared and used as support for lipase adsorption. Almost all the active lipases in crude enzyme solution were adsorbed by this magnetically separable, hydrophobic siliceous mesocellular foam. The resolution of 1-phenylethanol acylated with vinyl acetate can be achieved in 1.5 h using the resultant magnetic biocatalyst, whereas only 30% conversion was obtained by using the free lipase under the identical reaction conditions. These results are probably due to the “interfacial adsorption” and “hyper-activation” of lipase on the hydrophobic surface of the magnetic siliceous mesocellular foam. Moreover, the biocatalyst entrapped in the nanopores of this foam can be recycled magnetically for at least seven times without significant loss of its activity and enantioselectivity.     

Different properties of the lipases contained in porcine pancreatic lipase extracts as enantioselective biocatalysts

The porcine pancreatic lipase (PPL) extracts contain a mixture of several lipases. Their fractioning was performed by sequential adsorption via interfacial activation on supports with different hydrophobicity. A protein of 25 KDa was preferentially adsorbed on octyl-Sepharose, another protein of 33 kDa was mainly adsorbed on octadecyl-Sepabeads support, and the PPL was mainly adsorbed on the support bearing phenyl groups. The different immobilized preparations showed different properties and different response due to change in the experimental conditions. Thus, in the hydrolysis of (+/-)-2-hydroxy-4-phenylbutyric acid ethyl ester [(+/-)-1] to produce the corresponding acid [2], the octyl-25KDa preparation showed the best enantioselectivity (E) value (E = 7) at pH 5 and 25 degrees C, whereas the phenyl-PPL was the most enantioselective (E = 10) at pH 5, 4 degrees C, and 10% dioxane. Using different preparations at different pHs it was possible to resolve (+/-)-2-O-butyryl-2-phenylacetic acid [(+/-)-3] with a high E value (E > 100); for example, with octadecyl-33 KDa enzyme at pH 8.     

Lipase-catalyzed kinetic resolutions of racemic β- and γ-thiolactones

Several racemic β- and γ-thiolactones were synthesized and kinetic resolutions of them were executed using lipases. While a lipase from Pseudomonas cepacia (PCL) showed the highest enantioselectivity for (S)-form (>99% ee_S at 53% conversion, E > 100) in the kinetic resolution of racemic -methyl-β-propiothiolactone (rac-MPTL), it showed no hydrolysis activity in the kinetic resolution of -benzyl--methyl-β-propiothiolactone (rac-BMPTL), suggesting that the changes in the size of alkyl group from rac-MPTL to rac-BMPTL leads to lower hydrolysis activity and enantioselectivity. In contrast, racemic γ-butyrothiolactones were hydrolyzed by several lipases with low enantioselectivity, whereas a lipase from Candida antarctica (CAL) showed moderate enantioselectivity for (S)-form (>99% ee_S at 76% conversion, E = 11) in the kinetic resolution of racemic -methyl-γ-butyrothiolactone (rac-MBTL). Computer-aided molecular modeling was also performed to investigate the enantioselectivites and activities of PCL toward β-propiothiolactones. The computer modeling results suggest that the alkyl side chains of β-propiothiolactones and γ-butyrothiolactones interact with amino acid residues around hydrophobic crevice, which affects the activity of PCL.     

Solid-phase handling of hydrophobins: immobilized hydrophobins as a new tool to study lipases

Hydrophobins are fungal proteins that self-assemble spontaneously at hydrophilic-hydrophobic interfaces and change the polar nature of the surfaces to which they attach. This attribute can be used to introduce hydrophobic foci on the surface of hydrophilic supports where hydrophobins are attached by covalent binding. In this paper, we report the binding of Pleurotus ostreatus hydrophobins to a hydrophilic matrix (agarose) to construct a support for noncovalent immobilization and activation of lipases from Candida antarctica, Humicola lanuginosa, and Pseudomonas flourescens. Lipase immobilization on agarose-bound hydrophobins proceeded at very low ionic strength and resulted in increased lipase activity and stability. The enzyme could be desorbed from the support using moderate concentrations of Triton X-100, and its enantioselectivity was similar to that of lipases interfacially immobilized on conventional hydrophobic supports. These results suggest that lipase adsorption on hydrophobins follows an "interfacial activation" mechanism; immobilization on hydrophobins offers new possibilities for lipase study and modulation and reveals a new application for fungal hydrophobins.     

Lipase immobilization on modified zirconia nanoparticles: Studies on the effects of modifiers

Zirconia nanoparticles modified with carboxylic acid with a long alkyl chain can significantly enhance the activity of immobilized lipases used for asymmetric synthesis in organic media. In this study, various carboxylic acids with different alkyl chain lengths were grafted to zirconia. Lipase from Pseudomonas cepacia (PCL) was immobilized on the modified zirconia nanoparticles and used for the resolution of (R,S)-1-phenylethanol through acylation in isooctane. The results showed that among the straight-chained carboxylic acids that formed a closely packed layer on the support, stearic acid with a long alkyl chain gave the best activity/enantioselectivity. The initial activity obtained was about 10 times higher than that from lipase loaded onto unmodified zirconia. This improvement could be attributed to the interaction between the long hydrophobic chain of the modifier and the lipase, leading to an interfacial activation effect. The stability of the immobilized PCL was investigated, and the lipase was found to be stable for at least ten consecutive runs with a substrate concentration of 5 g/L. At a high substrate concentration of ca. 100 g/L, the activity of the lipase gradually decreased, which suggests that deactivation was induced by substrate toxicity.     

Immobilization of Candida rugosa lipase on poly(allyl glycidyl ether-co-ethylene glycol dimethacrylate) macroporous polymer particles

Macroporous polymer particles containing surface epoxy groups were synthesized for immobilization of Candida rugosa lipase (CRL). The effect of incorporation of two different sets of monomers [allyl glycidyl ether (AGE) and glycidyl methacrylate (GMA)] and the effect of crosslinking density on immobilization of lipase were studied. AGE-co-EGDM polymers gave higher binding and expression of lipase than GMA-co-EGDM polymers. Optimization of immobilization parameters was done with respect to immobilization time and enzyme loading. Amongst AGE-co-EGDM polymer series, AGE-150 polymer found to give maximum lipase activity yield and therefore evaluated for temperature, pH and storage stability. Under optimum conditions, AGE-150 polymer gave 78.40% of activity yield. Immobilized lipase on AGE-150 showed a broader pH, higher temperature and excellent storage stability.     

Investigating pH and Cu (II) effects on lipase activity and enantioselectivity via kinetic and spectroscopic methods

For Candida rugosa lipase (CRL) catalyzed hydrolysis of racemic 1-phenethyl acetate, both the weakly acidic pH (pH 6.0) and the addition of 1 mM copper (II) ion enhanced the enzyme activity and enantioselectivity (E value) about twofold, as compared with that under neutral pH and noadditive conditions. The decrease of activation free energy (DeltaG) and increase of k(cat)(R)/k(cat)(S) at weakly acidic pH and/or in the presence of copper (II) characterized the kinetic behavior of CRL. On the other hand, for providing reasonable insights into the catalytic mechanism and the structural basis for enantioselectivity alteration, spectroscopic techniques were employed to probe conformational changes of the enzyme in each medium assayed. The fluorescence emission spectra revealed that pH and copper (II) might exert different effects on the microenvironment of Trp residue and thereby on the protein conformation, which could be further verified by UV-visible and Raman spectra. The conformational modulation of CRL associated with either pH or copper (II) concentration in the reaction medium could be attributed to the flexible and sensitive conformation of the enzyme, which is responsible for the significant variation of apparent activity and enantioselectivity with the tuning of biocatalyst microenvironment.