Properties of papain, immobilized on organosilica

Papain, a proteolytic enzyme, is used in the reactions of organic synthesis for preparing peptides. The use of immobilized papain with this aim is very promising. Preparations of papain immobilized by organosilica have been studied for their physicochemical properties as well kinetics of the papain immobilization by amino-organosilica activated by cyanuric chloride. Retention of the enzyme activity of immobilized papain reached 40% and depended on the amount of enzyme bound with the carrier. Kmobs of the immobilized enzyme did not differ significantly from that of the soluble enzyme. After immobilization the pH-optimum an pH-profile of the catalytical activity of papain remained unchangeable. For the period of 20 days immobilized papain has lost 20-50% activity.