Highly active lipase immobilized on biogenous iron oxide via an organic bridging group: the dramatic effect of the immobilization support on enzymatic function

Iron-oxidizing bacteria, Leptothrix ochracea, produce biogenous iron oxide (BIO), while the heat treatment of BIO gives its magnetized material (m-BIO). In this study, they were chemically modified with silane coupling agents to give organic–inorganic hybrid materials, which were then used as immobilization supports for enzymes. BIO-M, which was prepared by modifying BIO with 3-methacryloxypropyltrimethoxysilane, was found to be the best immobilization support. The immobilized lipases showed remarkably high catalytic activity; for example, Burkholderia cepacialipase (BCL) immobilized on BIO-M showed a turnover frequency of 33 000 h−1 for 1-phenylethanol (1a). m-BIO-M, which was prepared by modifying m-BIO with 3-methacryloxypropyltrimethoxysilane, was also used as an immobilization support. Although the lipases immobilized on m-BIO-M showed lower catalytic activity than those immobilized on BIO-M, the former could be separated and reused easily by using a magnet. These immobilized enzymes could be recycled at least five times and are environmentally benign biocatalysts.