Stabilization of glucose oxidase fromPenicillium vitale entrapped in high-concentration gels

Glucose ixidase fromPenicillium vitale was immobilized in a 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) gel containing 0.3 to 2% of methacrylic acid (MAA) or MAA neutralized by allylamine (AA). Depending on the MAA quantity of MAA in the gel, the thermal irreversible inactivation(k _in) constants of the immobilized enzymes sharply decrease at gel concentrations higher than 29 to 50% at pH 5.8. A 220- to 250-fold decrease ofk _in was observed in 60 to 80% gel. The inactivation rate of enzyme in HEMA gel also decreases considerably under the action of urea. Over the range of pH 5.0 to 9.0 thek _in of the native enzyme depends on pH by a degree of 2.1, and of the immobilized enzyme, 0.3 to 0.55. Over the pH range of 5.2 to 5.7,k _in of the native and immobilized enzymes are approximate, whereas at pH 8 and over the difference betweenk _in values exceeds four orders of magnitude. The activity dependence of the immobilized enzyme on pH is shifted two units to the alkaline region. This shift depends on the ionic strength of the solution. This dependence is best reflected in the high gel concentrations. A mechanism of enzymes stabilization in the concentrated HEMA gel is discussed.