Stabilization of enzymes by surrounding them with thin, porous, polymer layer
Multi-scale and/or multi-disciplinary approach to process-product innovation
Nanotechnology & Nanomanufacturing (T3-1P)
Keywords: stability of enzyme, single enzyme nanoparticles, biocatalyst activity
Stabilization of enzymes by surrounding them with thin, porous, polymer layer
Imre Hegedüs and Endre Nagy
University of Pannonia, Research Institute of Chemical and Process Engineering, P.O.Box 158, 8201 Veszprém, Hungary, e-mail: nagye@mik.vein.hu
By covering each enzyme molecules with porous, very thin, a few nanometer thick layer, thus, separating them from its micro-environment can essentially improve the enzyme stability. This makes also possible the uniform distribution and immobilization of these single enzyme nanoparticles on a nanostructured support material which could essentially increase the enzyme activity as well. Kim et al. [1,2] developed this polymerization process using alpha-chymotrypsin as enzyme. The preparation of the single enzyme nanoparticles consists of three main steps: 1.: covalent surface modification with covalently modifying the amino groups of enzyme on its surface with acryolyl chloride; 2.: linear polymerization step in organic phase by vinyl polymerization; 3.: crosslinked polymer layer formation around each separate enzyme molecule, again in aqueous phase. Following the preparation method recommended by Kim et al., the activity change of these single enzyme nanoparticles, after incubation in buffer solution at different temperature, for several weeks will be shown applying chymotrypsin enzyme. This activity will be compared to that measured by native enzyme incubated under the same conditions. The activity change of the modified and the native enzymes could significantly differ from each other as a function of time and temperature. It will also be shown the applicability of the Kim’s method in the cases of other enzymes as lipase and cellulase. Both enzymes are very important catalyst by different bioreactions.
[1] Kim, J., Grate JW., Book of Abstract, 7th World Congress of Chemical Engineering, 10-14 July, 2005, Glasgow, p. 168.
[2] Kim, J., Grate J.W., Wang P., Chem Eng. Sci., 61 (2006) 1017-1026.
Presented Tuesday 18, 13:30 to 15:00, in session Nanotechnology & Nanomanufacturing (T3-1P).
