immobilised enzymes

• Isolated enzymes = Enzymes extracted and purified from origin organisms.
• Advantages to using isolated enzymes:

  • Less wasteful i.e. don’t need a whole organism
  • More efficient i.e. can use higher concentrations in artificial environments
  • More specific
  • Maximise efficiency through optimal conditions
  • Less downstream processing required
• The problem with isolated enzyme reactions

  • Enzymes are expensive to produce.
  • Free enzymes in solution are often unrecoverable and therefore cannot be used again.
  • This can also contaminate the end product or at least make it less pure
• Immobilised means can’t move/ fixed in place

  The enzymes are immobilised in a number of ways.

  • They can be absorbed onto an inorganic carrier e.g. alginate beads.
  • They can be trapped in a matrix.
  • They can be bonded (ionically or covalently) to an inorganic carrier.
  • They can be encapsulated in a partially permeable membrane.
• 1. Enzymes are immobilised in an enclosed column.
  2. Substrate solution is passed over the immobilised enzymes.
  3. Enzyme-substrate complexes form and product is released at the bottom.
• Lactase is used for hydrolysis of lactose to glucose and galactose
• Use of immobilised enzymes

  • Glucose isomerase is used for the conversion of glucose to fructose.
  • Penicillin acylase is used to form semi-synthetic penicillin
  • Aminoacylase is used in the production of pure samples of L-amino acids
  • Glucoamylase is used in the conversion of dextrins to glucose