Immobilization of α-chymotrypsin into the poly(N,N-diallyl-N,N-didodecyl ammonium bromiae)/surfactant nanocapsules

The biocatalytic systems from nanocapsules containing α-chymotrypsin in the inner aqueous cavities have been prepared. They can act in both the organic solvent and the aqueous medium. For such encapsulation, the reversed hydrated micelles from N,N-diallyl-N,N-didodecyl ammonium bromide (DDAB) in cyclohexane (w₀ = 22), including α-chymotrypsin, have been polymerized by UV initiation. After precipitation by acetone, these nanocapsules were moved into the aqueous medium with the aid of ionic, AOT, or nonionic, Brij-97, surfactants. In this case, the unilamellar liposomes were formed. They have the inner monolayer from the poly-DDAB network, and the outer one predominantly from surfactant molecules. According to the light-scattering data, the average outer diameter of nanocapsules equals to 20 nm. The vesicular “coated” α-chymotrypsin was used for study of enzymatic activity. It has been shown using the integral form of the Michaelis-Menten equation, that by encapsulation of α-chymotrypsin the value of the Michaelis constant, K_m, increases by a factor of 1.8 by the ATEE hydrolysis. However, the value of the maximal velocity, V_max, decreases by a factor of 1.7. Encapsulated α-chymotrypsin has a high thermostability keeping its own activity up to 80°C. The polymer network blocks the conformational transitions of enzyme molecule by heating of a system.