Models for enzyme superactivity in aqueous solutions of surfactants.

Theoretical models are developed here for enzymic activity in the presence of direct micellar aggregates. An approach similar to that of Bru et al. [Bru, Sánchez-Ferrer and Garcia-Carmona (1989) Biochem. J. 259, 355-361] for reverse micelles has been adopted. The system is considered to consist of three pseudo-phases: free water, bound water and surfactant tails. The substrate concentration in each pseudo-phase is related to the total substrate concentration in the reaction medium. In the absence of interactions between the enzyme and the micelles, the model predicts either monotonically increasing or monotonically decreasing trends in the calculated reaction rate as a function of surfactant concentration. With enzyme-micelle interactions included in the formulation (by introducing an equilibrium relation between the enzyme confined in the free water and in the bound water pseudo-phases, and by allowing for different catalytic behaviours for the two forms), the calculated reaction rate can exhibit a bell-shaped dependence on surfactant concentration. The effect of the partition of enzyme and substrate is described, as is that of enzyme efficiency in the various pseudo-phases.

Stability and activity of immobilized hydrolytic enzymes in two-liquid-phase systems: acid phosphatase, beta-glucosidase, and beta-fructofuranosidase entrapped in poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) matrices.

Enzyme storage stability and hydrolysis yield were measured in experiments carried out with three model hydrolytic enzymes: acid phosphatase (EC 3.1.3.2), beta-glucosidase (EC 3.2.1.4), and beta-fructofuranosidase (EC 3.2.1.26) entrapped in hydrogels of poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate). Runs were performed at 30 degrees C, under intensive stirring (500 rev min-1), in 50% v/v biphasic media prepared with buffer and organic solvents, whose log P value varied from 0.68 to 8.8. Storage stability was also monitored in the pure solvents. The small average particle size (125-210 microns) and the intensive stirring eliminate hindrances of intra- and interphase mass transfer resistances. The hydrophilic matrix protects the enzymes against thermal and chemical deactivation, thus allowing good production per unit weight of biocatalyst. In biphasic media, storage stability, with the exception of acid phosphatase, was not dependent on solvent polarity. On the contrary, a significant trend was observed when the enzymes were stored in neat organic solvents.

Control of enzyme properties in supramolecular systems.

The study deals with stability and activity of enzymes in supramolecular systems. Acid phosphatase (EC 3.1.3.2) has been studied as model enzyme. The organic phase is rich in C2-C4 acetates. Didodecyldimethylammonium chloride (DD-DACl) has been mainly used as ionic surfactants. The rate of enzyme inactivation is smaller than in buffer and is less dependent on storage temperature. Specific activity of the enzyme is lowered because of a less affinity towards the substrate and of reduction of maximal velocity.

Invertase activity of Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells entrapped in poly (2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) gels: kinetic and thermostability study in membrane reactors.

Films of poly (2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) with entrapped yeast cells have been prepared and characterized in membrane reactors. Two concentrations, 5 and 10% w/w, of crosslinking agent ethylene dimethacrylate are used. The invertase activity is monitored between 30 and 55 degrees C in the range of sucrose concentration from 40 to 200 mM and during almost 600 h of operation. Comparison is also made with the behaviour of free cells and small size particles (less than 115 mesh) of poly-HEMA immobilized cells. The results show that the whole membrane volume is not involved in substrate permeation and a combined diffusion-reaction rate controlling mechanism holds. An unusual dependence of reaction rate on bulk pH is observed. In the range of pH from 4.0 to 6.0, invertase activity in films continuously increases while two distinctive maxima for free yeast cells (pH 4.75) and for small particles of poly-HEMA-immobilized yeast cells (pH 4.5) are observed.

Hydrolytic reactions in two-phase systems. Effect of water-immiscible organic solvents on stability and activity of acid phosphatase, beta-glucosidase, and beta-fructofuranosidase.

The stability and activity of three hydrolytic enzymes, acid phosphatase (EC 3.1.3.2), beta-fructofuranosidase (EC 3.2.1.26), and beta-glucosidase (EC 3.2.1.4), were studied at 30 degrees C in two-phase systems. They were prepared with equal quantities of buffered water and a water-immiscible organic solvent. Low-molecular-weight acetates and paraffins were tested in this investigation. The kinetic constant of storage inactivation was correlated with the logarithm of solvent polarity. Enzyme stability in the presence of organic phases, whose log P value was included in 1.2-2.2, was greater than the one measured in pure buffered aqueous media. On the other hand, a dramatic enzyme denaturation took place making use of solvents at higher log P-value. Experiments carried out during the 24-h operation clarified that the reaction yield does not depend solely on solvent polarity. Acid phosphatase and beta-glucosidase, which are less resistant than beta-fructofuranosidase to temperature and shear in buffered solutions, showed especially significant enhancement of catalytic activity when hydrolysis was performed with the addition of acetates (50% v/v).

Enzyme immobilization by means of ultrafiltration techniques.

Unstirred, plane membrane, ultrafiltration cells have been used as enzymatic reactor units. Because of the concentration polarization phenomena which take place in the system, at steady-state the enzyme is confined (dynamically immobilized) within an extremely narrow region upstream the ultrafiltration membrane. Correspondingly its concentration attains fairly high values. Kinetic studies have been therefore performed under quite unusual experimental conditions in order to better approximate local enzyme concentration levels in immobilized enzyme systems. Studies have been also carried out on the kinetics of enzyme deactivation in the continuous presence of substrate and reaction products. Once the enzyme concentration profile is completely developed, further injection into the system of suitable amounts of an inert proteic macromolecule (albumin polymers) gives rise to the formation of a gel layer onto the ultrafiltration membrane within which the enzyme is entrapped (statically immobilized). The effect of this immobilization technique has been studied as far as the kinetics of the main reaction, the substrate mass transfer resistances and the enzyme stability are concerned. The rejective properties of such gel layers towards enzymatic molecules have been exploited in producing multilayer, multi-enzymatic reactors.

Theoretical and experimental analysis of a soluble enzyme membrane reactor.

Recently enzyme immobilization techniques have been proposed that are mainly founded on the formation of an enzyme-gel layer onto the active surface of an ultrafiltration membrane within an unstirred ultrafiltration cell. If the membrane molecular-weight cutoff is less than the enzyme molecular weight and hence such as to completely prevent enzyme permeation (once the enzyme solution has been charged into the test cell and pressure applied to the system), a time progressive increase in enzyme concentration takes place at the upstream membrane surface that can eventually lead to gelation and hence to enzyme immobilization. However, depending on the total enzyme amount fed, the maximum enzyme concentration achieved in the unsteady state could be less than the gelation level. In this situation, no immobilization occurs and the enzyme still remains in the soluble form although it is practically confined within a limited region immediately upstream the membrane and at fairly high concentrations. In this paper, the experimental conditions that allow gelling to occur are discussed together with a theoretical analysis of the soluble enzyme membrane reactor which is obtained when no gelling takes place. Such a system could be usefully employed in performing kinetic analyses at high enzyme concentration levels that are still in the soluble form.

Kinetic behaviour of acid phosphatase-albumin co-polymers in homogeneous phase and under gel-immobilized conditions.

1. An analysis of the kinetic behaviour of immobilized acid phosphatase (EC 3.1.3.2) layers, gelled on the active surface of an ultrafiltration membrane, was carried out. 2. Two possible forms of such immobilized-enzyme systems were dealt with, namely enzyme-polyalbumin co-gelation through an ultrafiltration process, and enzyme co-polymerization to the same albumin polymers and subsequent gelation. 3. A preliminary analysis was also performed on both the corresponding homogeneous-phase (soluble systems to provide reference kinetics. 4. The main conclusions drawn are: (i) the enzyme-albumin co-polymers show a decrease in specific activity compared with the corresponding free enzyme in both soluble and immobilized forms; (ii) in the homogeneous phase a slight increase in the apparent Michaelis constant was measured for the co-polymerized enzyme compared with the free one, which suggests a decrease in affinity towards substrate; (iii) the activation energy in the immobilized phase is halved, compared with that in the homogeneous phase, which indicates that the combined mass-transfer/reaction step is rate-controlling.