STRUCTURAL STUDY OF AOT REVERSE MICELLES CONTAINING NATIVE AND MODIFIED ALPHA-CHYMOTRYPSIN

The synthesis of partially hydrophobic alpha-chymotrypsin is performed in AOT reverse micelles to covalently bind hydrophobic molecules on t he surface of the alpha-chymotrypsin. Fluorescence experiments indicat e that the modified alpha-chymotrypsin is anchored on the inner surfac e of the host reverse micelle. The structures of the microemulsions of empty or filled reverse micelles are investigated by small-angle X-ra y scattering, dynamic quasi-elastic light scattering, and conductivity measurements. The corresponding intermicellar interactions are analyz ed in terms of the adhesive hard sphere model. It is shown that neithe r the presence nor the change in the location of the alpha-chymotrypsi n modifies the intermicellar interactions and structure.