IMMOBILIZATION OF AMYLOGLUCOSIDASE BY GRAFT-COPOLYMERIZATION ONTO MICROBIAL CELLULOSE GELS - SYNTHESIS AND CHARACTERIZATION

In the present work, bacterial cellulose by Acetobacter xylinum was em ployed as a solid matrix for the graft-copolymerization of amyloglucos idase enzyme. Acetobacter xylinum produces a cellulosic gel in which t he extended fibrils are arranged in sheet layers surrounded by water m olecules. Thus, the immobilized enzyme is in a complete aqueous medium like in the native cellular environment. The gel drying process remov es the layers of water and closer microfibrils are associated. The res ults show that bacterial cellulose can be conveniently used as support for immobilized enzymes and that an amount of enzyme, five times grea ter than in other graft reaction, was fixed onto this type of cellulos e.