The separation of aryl acylamidase by cross flow microfiltration and the significance of enzyme/cell debris interaction

The use of cross flow microfiltration for the separation of aryl acylamide amidohydrolase (amidase) from cell lysate has been investigated. The transmembrane pressure, the feed velocity and the membrane configuration were all found to have significant influence on the transmission of the enzyme through the membrane. Other factors which affect flux and transmission severely are the physical and biochemical properties of the lysate which control the rate of fouling. These, however, are as yet not well characterised. It has been shown that a large amount of amidase is adsorbed to the cell debris which results in a poor enzyme yield. In some cases the apparent membrane transmission of enzyme reaches 154%; this was ascribed to the desorption of the enzyme in a shear field. A model is offered to account for the mechanism of enzyme transmission enhancement.