M. Mejri et al., EFFECT OF POLYHYDROXYLIC ADDITIVES ON THE CATALYTIC ACTIVITY OF THERMOLYSIN, Enzyme and microbial technology, 23(6), 1998, pp. 392-396
The catalytic activity of thermolysin during the hydrolysis of N-(3-[2
-furyl]acryloyl)-Gly-Leu amjde is noticeably enhanced in the presence
of sugars and polyols. A series of polyhydroxylic additives were teste
d and the degree of activation was found to depend on both the concent
ration and nature of the additive. Sucrose and trehalose were found to
yield the higher activation effect whereas glycerol was found to yiel
d an inhibition of thermolysin in a large domain of concentration. A m
echanism of activation based on the lowering of the energy barrier for
the enzymatic reaction is proposed. This free energy barrier lowering
is very likely due to water structure modification by the additives.
(C) 1998 Elsevier Science Inc.