Immobilization of penicillin G acylase on methacrylate polymers

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Abstract
Macroporous weak cation‐exchange methacrylate polymers were synthesized for the immobilization of penicillin G (Pen G) acylase. The role of certain factors such as pore‐generating solvent, cross‐linking agent, cross‐linking density, and comonomer, in enzyme adsorption and expression was studied. Kerosene was a superior pore‐generating solvent to paraffin oil. Ethylene glycol dimethacrylate and acrylic acid served as the best cross‐linking agent and comonomer, respectively, in the systems studied. 80·3% of the activity of the enzyme adsorbed onto polymer beads prepared with 0·05 mol of acrylic acid (polymer PM‐39) was expressed. Properties of the Pen G acylase, immobilized on PM‐39 by adsorption and cross‐linking with glutaraldehyde (IME‐PM‐39) were studied. The optimum pH, optimum temperature and Km of Pen G acylase shifted from 8·0 to 7·5‐7·8, 50°C to 55°C and 0·038 mol dm−3 to 2·4–3·0 mol dm−3, respectively, as a result of immobilization on PM‐39. IME‐PM‐39 was used repeatedly for 15 cycles in the production of 6‐amino penicillanic acid (6‐APA).