Immobilizing Enzymes

What Is Enzyme Immobilization? So far… – Batch/Continuous cultures – Industrial enzyme production If you make enzymes you can save money using continuous cultures If you USE enzymes, how can you save a lot of money? – Recycle the enzymes Immobilize  to isolate enzymes in a form that makes them easy to remove and reuse – Often isolate enzymes in jelly beads

Jelly Beads! Jelly Bead formation: 1)Dissolve enzymes in a calcium chloride solution 2)Add drops of sodium alginate 3)Two mix and instantly form jelly in shape of droplet 4)Enzymes are in beads and cover the surface Advantages: – Reuse as long as beads are intact – Enzymes less sensitive to pH and Temp changes Jelly helps prevent denaturing

Milk for Lenard Making Lactose-Free Milk: – What enzyme brakes down lactose? Lactase 1)Lactase jelly beads are added to a column 2)Milk falls through column, lactase on beads breaks down lactose 3)Lactose-free milk collected at the bottom Happy Lenard can have cheese, ice cream, and milk!

More Ways to Save Money! What if you only need to test for the presence of a compound or it level in a solution? – Glucose in blood – Small controlled application of an enzyme Dipsticks  stick with enzyme coated region that can be quickly check a solution

Testing for Diabetes Blood tests to examine glucose and insulin levels – This requires taking blood, a lab, and a series of tests How else can we test for diabetes? – Glucose levels in urine Glucose Oxidase Dipstick: – Enzyme changes glucose to gluconolactone which makes hydrogen peroxide – H 2 O 2 changes color of dipstick – Lots of H 2 O 2 = high glucose levels and possible diabetes

Daily Testing If you have diabetes, how to do you regulate your insulin levels? – Insulin injections How do you know how much you need? – Measure blood glucose levels – Will have to do this multiple times a day Biosensors  – Electronic meter monitors levels based current produced – Glucose oxidase reaction produces small amount of electricity – Greater the electrical current the more glucose present