Chapter 12 - Enzyme immobilization strategies and bioprocessing applications

Abstract

Enzymes are highly selective, specific and biologically degradable proteins. They are ideal to carry out complex reactions under mild conditions, by performing biocatalysis in aqueous and/or in nonaqueous organic media. Hence, in industrial and biotechnological processes structurally stable, effective, selective, recoverable, and low-priced enzymes are required to synthesize valuable compounds using various polluting wastes. To overcome these drawbacks, various alternatives have been proposed as the enzyme immobilization on solid matrices. Derived from different chemical origins, numerous enzyme immobilization methods have been reported, which related to the nature of matrices’ material, the structure and specificity of enzyme molecules, the immobilization methodologies, and their cost. Enzymes, which are prepared through protein engineering and immobilized suitably, they attain higher yields throughout bioprocessing reactions. Generally, immobilized enzymes are biocatalysts capable to decompose polluting wastes, as well as to synthesize high added–value compounds. Herein, we review strategies and methodologies of enzyme immobilization for their use in bioprocessing applications.