[Catalytic properties of lipase adsorbed on nanocarbon-containing mesoporous silica in esterification and transesterification reactions].

Nanocarbon-containing mesoporous silica covered with a varying amounts of nanostructured carbon of different morphologies were used as supports to immobilize Thermomyces lanuginosus lipase. The catalytic properties of the prepared biocatalysts were studied in both the transesterification of vegetable (linseed) oil in the presence of ethyl acetate and the esterification of the fatty acid (capric C10:0) in the presence of secondary (isopropyl or isoamyl) alcohols. The physico-chemical characteristics, such as the amount of adsorbed lipase, its specific activity, and the dependence of the activity and stability of the prepared biocatalysts on the support type were evaluated. The Michaelis-Menten kinetics was studied in the esterification of capric acid with isoamyl alcohol. The prepared biocatalysts were shown to retain up to 90% activity for >1000 h in the synthesis of isoamyl caprate. The half-time of the biocatalysts inactivation in the transesterification of linseed oil was found to be more than 700 h at 40°C.

Synthesis of nanoscale TiO2 and study of the effect of their crystal structure on single cell response.

To study the effect of nanoscale titanium dioxide (TiO(2)) on cell responses, we synthesized four modifications of the TiO(2) (amorphous, anatase, brookite, and rutile) capable of keeping their physicochemical characteristics in a cell culture medium. The modifications of nanoscale TiO(2) were obtained by hydrolysis of TiCl(4) and Ti(i-OC(3)H(7))(4) (TIP) upon variation of the synthesis conditions; their textural, morphological, structural, and dispersion characteristics were examined by a set of physicochemical methods: XRD, BET, SAXS, DLS, AFM, SEM, and HR-TEM. The effect of synthesis conditions (nature of precursor, pH, temperature, and addition of a complexing agent) on the structural-dispersion properties of TiO(2) nanoparticles was studied. The hydrolysis methods providing the preparation of amorphous, anatase, brookite, and rutile modifications of TiO(2) nanoparticles 3-5 nm in size were selected. Examination of different forms of TiO(2) nanoparticles interaction with MDCK cells by transmission electron microscopy of ultrathin sections revealed different cell responses after treatment with different crystalline modifications and amorphous form of TiO(2). The obtained results allowed us to conclude that direct contact of the nanoparticles with cell plasma membrane is the primary and critical step of their interaction and defines a subsequent response of the cell.

[Catalytical properties of Arthrobacter nicotianae cells, a producer of glucose isomerase, immobilized in xerogel of silicium dioxide].

Arthrobacter nicotinanae cells, producers of glucose isomerase, were immobilized in xerogel of silicium dioxide, and properties of the resulted heterogeneous biocatalysts were investigated in the process of isomerization of monosaccharide (glucose and fructose). The glucose isomerase activity of the resulted biocatalysts was shown to be 10 U/g, on average, taking into account the loss of the activity upon the immobilization, which amounted to 50% of the cell activity in suspension. The rate of the fructose isomerization increased linearly in the range of 55-80 degrees C with the temperature coefficient 1.3. The biocatalysts were stable in this range; they were rapidly inactivated, however, at increasing temperature. The half-inactivation time was six to seven h and five min or less at 80 degrees C and 85 degrees C, respectively. The half-inactivation time of heterogeneous biocatalysts was 50-90 h in the periodic process of isomerization of 2 M monosaccharides at 60 degrees C in the presence of the immobilized Arthrobacter nicotinanae cells.

[Glucose isomerase activity in suspension of Arthrobacter nicotianae cells and adsorption immobilization of the microorganisms on inorganic carriers].

Kinetics of monosaccharide isomerization has been studied in suspensions of intact, non-growing Arthrobacter nicotianae cells. Under the conditions of the study, glucose and fructose were isomerized at the same maximum rate of 700 micromol/min per 1 g dried cells, which increased with temperature (the dependence was linear at 60-80 degrees C). The proposed means of adsorption immobilization of A. nicotianae cells involve inorganic carriers differing in macrostructure, chemical nature, and surface characteristics. Biocatalysts obtained by adsorbing the cells of A. nicotianae on carbon-containing foam ceramics in the coarse of submerged cultivation were relatively stable and retained original activity (catalysis of monosaccharide isomerization) throughout 14 h of use at 70 degrees C. Maximum glucose isomerase activity (2 micromol/min per 1 g) was observed with biocatalysts prepared by adsorption of non-growing A. nicotianae cells to the macroporous carbon-mineral carrier Sapropel and subsequent drying of the cell suspension together with the carrier.

[Immobilized glucoamylase: A biocatalyst of dextrin hydrolysis].

Heterogeneous biocatalysts of starch conversion based on glucoamylase and carbon-containing carriers were obtained, and their biocatalytic properties in enzymatic hydrolysis of corn dextrins were studied. It was shown that the morphology of the surface carbon layer of carriers markedly affected the properties of biocatalysts. Glucoamylase that was immobilized by adsorption on the surface of carriers covered with a layer of catalytic fibrous or pyrolytic carbon had the maximum enzymatic activity and stability, whereas the biocatalysts prepared on the basis of carriers that had no carbon layer or were covered with graphite-like surface carbon had a low activity and stability.

[Immobilized yeast membranes as biocatalysts for sucrose inversion].

Yeast membranes were obtained by autolysis of various strains with relatively high invertase activity. Heterogeneous biocatalysts for sucrose inversion were made of the yeast membranes and granulated carbon-containing supports made of common natural materials: expanded clay aggregate (ECA), sapropel, and lignin. The properties of these biocatalysts were studied. It was shown that the biocatalyst activity and stability of the immobilized yeast membranes increased with reference to the initial ECA, independent of the structure of the carbon layer synthesized on the support surface. Heterogeneous biocatalysts prepared by adsorption of yeast membranes on sapropel had the greatest activity and stability, whereas lignin-based biocatalysts were relatively unstable.