Enzymes possess unique properties that render them potential catalysts for a wide array of industrial processes. In the quest to bolster enzyme stability, simplify their regeneration, and circumvent expensive separation techniques, diverse approaches to enzyme immobilization have emerged as a compelling solution.
Aminotransferases (ATAs) play a crucial role in the transfer of amino groups from amino donor to amino acceptor and are therefore highly interesting for use, especially in the pharmaceutical industry. In the context of this MSc thesis, we have attempted to immobilize a selected enzyme, amine transaminase N-His$_6$-ATA-v1, on silicate particles to obtain self-assembling structures for potential use in microreactors. The technique relied on establishing a coordination bond between the enzyme's hexahistidine (His$_6$) tag and silicate particles functionalized with various aliphatic chains and metal ions.
In the experimental work, the selected enzyme was expressed in Escherichia coli and purified by preparative affinity chromatography. Post-expression, we characterized the enzyme by determining its concentration with spectrophotometry, assess its purity via gel electrophoresis and determined the activity of free enzymes with enzyme assays. Subsequently, the enzyme was immobilized onto particles of differing sizes (100, 250, and 500 nm) coupled with varying lengths of aliphatic chains and an array of coordination-bound metal ions (copper, cobalt, gadolinium, and iron).
After incubation of the enzymes with the functionalized particles, we gauged the activity of the immobilized enzymes using metrics such as immobilization yield, efficiency, and retained activity. This evaluation aimed to pinpoint the most suitable nanoparticles (considering size, aliphatic chain length, and the type of metal ion) for immobilizing the selected amine transferase. The experimental findings suggest that the smallest particles with the longest chains and cobalt ions as the coordination entity are optimal for immobilization. In this scenario, the immobilization yield reached 79.48%, with immobilization efficiency of 46.35% and a retained activity of 36.83%
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