Karen Ovsejevi

Stabilization of multimeric enzymes via immobilization and post-immobilization techniques

Abstract Controlled and directed immobilization plus post-immobilization techniques are proposed to get full stabilization of the quaternary structure of most multimeric industrial enzymes. The sequential utilization of two stabilization approaches is proposed: (a) Multi-subunit immobilization: a very intense multi-subunit covalent immobilization has been achieved by performing very long immobilization processes between multimeric enzymes and porous supports composed by large internal surfaces and covered by a very dense layer of reactive groups secluded from the support surface through very short spacer arms. (b) Additional cross-linking with poly-functional macromolecules: additional chemical modification of multi-subunit immobilized derivatives with polyfunctional macromolecules promotes an additional cross-linking of all subunits of most of multimeric enzymes. A number of homo and hetero-dimeric enzymes has been stabilized by the simple application of multi-subunit immobilization but more complex multimeric enzymes (e.g., tetrameric ones) were only fully stabilized after the sequential application of both strategies. After such stabilization of the quaternary structure these three features were observed: no subunits were desorbed from derivatives after boiling them in SDS, thermal inactivation becomes independent from enzyme concentration and derivatives became much more stable than soluble enzymes as well as than non-stabilized derivatives. For example, thermal stability of d -amino acid oxidase from Rhodotorula gracilis was increased 7.000 fold after stabilization of its quaternary structure.

A new method for reversible immobilization of thiol biomolecules based on solid-phase bound thiolsulfonate groups

A new method for the reversible immobilization of thiol bimolecules, e.g., thiolpeptides and thiolproteins, to beaded agarose and other solid phases is reported. The method consists of an activation and a coupling step. The activation is based on oxidation of disulfides (or thiol groups via disulfides) present in a solid phase by hydrogen peroxide at moderately acidic pH. This oxidation leads to disulfide oxides (thiolsulfinate groups of which the majority are further oxidized to thiolsulfonate). The thiolsulfonate groups react easily with thiol compounds, which become immobilized via disulfide bonds. The pH range for thiol coupling is wide (pH 5-8), but for most thiols the reaction seems to proceed faster at pH>7. The stability of the reactive group to hydrolysis, especially at neutral and weakly acidic pH, is very high. The activated gel, therefore, can be stored as a suspension at pH 5 for extended periods. The method has been used to reversibly immobilize glutathione, β-galactosidase, alcohol dehydrogenase, urease, and papain, all with exposed thiol groups as well as thiolated bovine serum albumin and sweet-potato β-amylase.Depending on the thiol content of starting thiol-agarose, thiol-sulfonate-agarose derivatives with different binding capacities can be obtained. Thus, up to 5.0 mg (16 μmol) glutathione and 15 mg thiol-protein/mL gel derivative have been immobilized.The gel bead can be regenerated and reused at least twice. Besides agarose, cellulose, crosslinked dextran, and polyacrylamide were shown to be very suitable as supports for solid-phase thiolsulfonates.

beta-Galactosidase from Kluyveromyces lactis immobilized on to thiolsulfinate/thiolsulfonate supports for lactose hydrolysis in milk and dairy by-products.

After reversible immobilization of neutral beta-galactosidase from Kluyveromyces lactis on to thiolsulfinate/thiolsulfonate supports, more than 80 % of the activity was retained. Blocking the remaining reactive groups with glutathione increased the thermal stability of the derivatives almost two-fold. These derivatives achieved a high degree of conversion (85-90 %) of lactose (50g / l) in saline solution, whey, whey permeates, and skimmed milk, either batchwise or in packed beds. They remained fully active upon storage for 10 months in activity buffer at 4 deg C, and when treated with sanitizing agents.

Thiolation and reversible immobilization of sweet potato δ-amylase on thiolsulfonate-agarose☆

Abstract Among the different methods for obtaining immobilized biocatalysts, those based on thioldisulfide exchange reactions are unique because, simultaneously, they show a stable covalent bond and the possibility of eluting the protein by reduction when the enzymatic activity decays. The adsorbent can thus be reloaded. In this paper we report the use of the recently developed thiolreactive adsorbent thiolsulfonate-agarose, for the immobilization of sweet potato β-amylase. Since native, β-amylase thiol groups were not reactive towards the adsorbent, the enzyme was provided with ‘de novo’ thiol groups by reaction with the heterobifunctional reagent N-succinimidyl-3- (2-pyridyldithio)propionate (SPDP). When the SPDP/β-amylase molar ratio was changed between 3 and 100, up to sixteen exposed thiol groups per mol of enzyme were introduced. This was achieved without affecting the amylolytic activity. The immobilization yield for the intermediate thiolation level was 98%. However, only 19% of the applied enzyme activity was found in the gel suspension. Comparative studies were made on thiolsulfonate-agarose and on a commercial thiol-activated adsorbent (2-pyridyldisulfide-agarose). The immobilization of the thiolated enzyme through reversible disulfide bonds on both adsorbents showed similar results. A close analysis reveals that immobilization of proteins on thiolsulfonate-agarose is a very promising technique.

Immobilization of β-galactosidase on thiolsulfonate-agarose

The preparation and properties of Escherichia coli β-galactosidase conjugates based on a recently developed immobilization method are presented. Enzyme immobilization is performed by reaction of its native thiol groups with agarose-bound thiolsulfonates under mild conditions. Depending on the amount of enzyme applied, 8–114 mg of protein per gram of dried gel derivative was immobilized on the thiolsulfonate agarose. With low protein loadings, the immobilization yield reached 100%. The thiolsulfonate-agarose gels exhibited high selectivity toward active enzyme. Because of this, the specific activity of the immobilized β-galactosidase was up to 50% higher than that of the applied, native enzyme. The method also provides the possibility to design the microenvironment of the immobilized enzyme by blocking residual thiolsulfonate groups with different reagents. The low-load derivatives blocked with glutathione, as well as the high-load derivatives without blocking, had better thermal stability than the soluble enzyme, and also showed excellent long-term stability at low temperatures. Thus, no decrease in enzymic activity was observed after storage of the derivatives for 18 months at +4°C as suspensions in 0.1 m potassium phosphate, pH 7.5.

Solid-phase reducing agents as alternative for reducing disulfide bonds in proteins.

Disulfide reduction of Kluyveromyces lactis and Aspergillus oryzae β-galactosidases and β-lactoglobulin was assessed. Reduction was performed using one of two thiol-containing agents: dithiothreitol (DTT) or thiopropyl-agarose with a high degree of substitution (1000 μmol of SH groups/g of dried gel). Both reductants allowed an increase of three- (for K. lactis β-galactosidase) and fourfold (for A. oryzae β-galactosidase) in the initial content of SH groups in the lactases. Nearly sevenfold fewer micromoles of SH groups per milligram of protein were needed to perform the reduction of K. lactis β-galactosidase with thiopropyl-agarose than for the same reduction with DTT. However, for A. oryzae β-galactosidase, nearly twice as many micromoles of SH groups per milligram of protein were needed with thiopropylagarose than with DTT. Disulfide bonds in β-lactoglobulin were not accessible to thiopropyl-agarose, since this reduction was only possible in the presence of 6 M urea. These results proved that highly substituted thiopropyl-agarose is as good a reducing agent as DTT, for the reduction of disulfide bonds in proteins. Moreover, excess reducing agent was very simply separated from the reduced protein by filtration, making it easier to control the reaction and providing reduced protein solutions free of reductant. All these advantages substantially cut down the time required and therefore the cost of the overall process.

Reversible covalent immobilization of enzymes via disulfide bonds.

This enzyme immobilization approach involves the formation of disulfide (-S-S-) bonds with the support. Thus, enzymes bearing exposed nonessential thiol (SH) groups can be immobilized onto thiol-reactive supports provided with reactive disulfides or disulfide oxides under mild conditions. The great potential advantage of this approach is the reversibility of the bonds formed between the activated solid phase and the thiol-enzyme, because the bound protein can be released with an excess of a low-molecular-weight thiol (e.g., dithiothreitol [DTT]). This is of particular interest when the enzyme degrades much faster than the adsorbent, which can be reloaded afterwards. The possibility of reusing the polymeric support after inactivation of the enzyme may be of interest for the practical use of immobilized enzymes in large-scale processes in industry, where their use has often been hampered by the high cost of the support material. Disulfide oxides (thiolsulfinate or thiolsulfonate groups) can be introduced onto a wide variety of support materials with different degrees of porosity and with different mechanical resistances. Procedures are given for the preparation of thiol-activated solid phases and the covalent attachment of thiol-enzymes to the support material via disulfide bonds. The possibility of reusing the polymeric support is also shown.

Synthesis of a Thiol-β-cyclodextrin, a Potential Agent for Controlling Enzymatic Browning in Fruits and Vegetables

A thiol-β-cyclodextrin was synthesized by a simple and environmentally friendly three-step method comprising epoxy activation of β-cyclodextrin, thiosulfate-mediated oxirane opening, and further reduction of the S-alkyl thiosulfate to a thiol group. The final step was optimized by using thiopropyl-agarose, a solid phase reducing agent with many advantages over soluble ones. β-Cyclodextrin thiolation was confirmed by titration with a thiol-reactive reagent, NMR studies, and MALDI-TOF/TOF. Thiolated cyclodextrin had an average value of one thiol group per molecule. Thiol-β-cyclodextrin proved to be an excellent agent for controlling polyphenol oxidase activity. This copper-containing enzyme is responsible for browning in fruits and vegetables. Under the same conditions, thiol-β-cyclodextrin generated a reductive microenvironment that increased the antibrowning effect on Red Delicious apples compared to unmodified β-cyclodextrin.

Reversible covalent immobilization of Trametes villosa laccase onto thiolsulfinate-agarose: An insoluble biocatalyst with potential for decoloring recalcitrant dyes.

The development of a solid‐phase biocatalyst based on the reversible covalent immobilization of laccase onto thiol‐reactive supports (thiolsulfinate‐agarose [TSI‐agarose]) was performed. To achieve this goal, laccase‐producing strains isolated from Eucalyptus globulus were screened and white rot fungus Trametes villosa was selected as the best strain for enzyme production. Reduction of disulfide bonds and introduction of “de novo” thiol groups in partially purified laccase were assessed to perform its reversible covalent immobilization onto thiol‐reactive supports (TSI‐agarose). Only the thiolation process dramatically improved the immobilization yield, from 0% for the native and reduced enzyme to 60% for the thiolated enzyme. Mild conditions for the immobilization process (pH 7.5 and 4°C) allowed the achievement of nearly 100% of coupling efficiency when low loads were applied. The kinetic parameters, pH, and thermal stabilities for the immobilized biocatalyst were similar to those for the native enzyme. After the first use and three consecutives reuses, the insoluble derivative kept more than 80% of its initial capacity for decolorizing Remazol Brilliant Blue R, showing its suitability for color removal from textile industrial effluents. The possibility of reusing the support was demonstrated by the reversibility of enzyme‐support binding.

Introduction of thiol-reactive structures on to soluble and insoluble proteins

When proteins containing disulphide groups were oxidized with magnesium monoperoxyphthalate at acidic pH, they acquired the property of binding thiol compounds. This was the case with the insoluble protein keratin, chosen for having a large number of disulphide bridges, and with soluble ones like BSA and immunoglobulins. The potential applications of some of these modified proteins for the preparation of soluble bioconjugates have been explored. As a particular example of an application, the immobilization of activated IgG on to solid phases might provide a new way for preparing immunoadsorbents.