IMMOBILIZATION OF TRYPSIN ON ACRYLIC COPOLYMERS

Twenty-six carriers from three series of acrylic copolymers were evalu ated for trypsin immobilisation. The following monomers were used to p repare polymer matrices: ethylene glycol dimethacrylate, trimethylolpr opane triacrylate, ethyl acrylate, butyl acrylate, hydroxypropyl metha crylate, acrylonitrile, and divinylbenzene. The carriers with trimethy lolpropane triacrylate as the cross-linking agent were selected as the most profitable matrices for expressing enzyme activity. Considering the influence of inert diluents on the carrier's superstructure and tr ypsin immobilisation it was shown that cyclohexanol as co-diluent prod uced a good microenvironment for enzyme activity while toluene created an unsuitable carrier structure. The most effective carrier was a cop olymer of acrylonitrile/trimethylolpropane triacrylate synthesised in the presence of cyclohexanol and 2-ethylhexanol. A comparison of the p roperties of the enzyme-carrier preparation and native trypsin demonst rated that the binding of the protein to the carrier caused an increas e of the storage and pH-stability of the bound enzyme. (C) 1998 Elsevi er Science Ltd. All rights reserved.