Protein immobilization to alumina supports: II. Papain immobilization to alumina via organophosphate linkers

Abstract

Particulate aluminum oxides (alumina) were examined as supports for the immobilization of the proteolytic enzyme papain. Two alumina supports termed C1 and CPC were derivatized using organic phosphate linkers to create free carboxyl groups using a two-step process. Papain binding to these derivatized aluminas was performed using the water soluble carbodiimide 1-ethyl-3-(dimethylaminopropyl) carbodiimide. Reactions were optimal at 10 mM carbodiimide. The immobilized protein showed similar kinetic constants when compared to the solution protein. The pH dependence and thermal stability were essentially identical. The immobilized papain showed a blue shift in the intrinsic fluorescence emission maxima. Papain modified with the active site-specific fluorescent probe acrylodan showed overlapping emission maxima. These results are interpreted as retention of the hydrophobic environment of the active site with a perturbation in the structure of the rest of the protein caused by its association with the negatively charged surface.