CHARACTERIZATION OF A CHEMICALLY CONJUGATED ?-GALACTOSIDASE BIOREACTOR

Abstract

A chemically prepared conjugate of avidin and E. coli β-galactosidase was adsorbed to biotinylated controlled-pore glass beads and used in a fluidized-bed bioreactor to assess the feasibility of bioselective adsorption immobilization technology. Biotinylated 200 nm pore diameter porous glass beads were prepared by reaction of 3-aminopropyl-glass beads with sulfosuccinimidyl-6-(biotinamido) hexanoate. Avidin and biotinylated β-galactosidase were sequentially adsorbed to the matrix. The fluidized-bed bioreactor was characterized with respect to β-galactosidase activity using both a lactose solution and o-nitrophenyl β-D-galactopyranoside (ONPG) as substrates. A lactose solution (4.5%, pH 7) was assayed for lactose hydrolysis at various flow rates. The bioreactor was operated for three months at 65–75% lactose hydrolysis with no loss in enzyme activity. The biocatalyst was characterized by amino acid analysis to determine the amount of each of the two proteins adsorbed. Results indicated 162 μ protein/mg beads of which 36% was avidin and 64% was β-galactosidase corresponding to 1 mole of avidin per mole of β-galactosidase monomer. Biocatalyst activity using ONPG as the substrate was 430 μmoles/min/mg protein, yielding a specific activity of 672 μmoles/min/mg β-galactosidase. These results lead to the conclusion that biospecific adsorption of the β-galactosidase conjugate onto biotinylated glass beads via avidin results in a biocatalyst that is stable and retains a high specific activity.