Immobilization of beta‐galactosidase on metal‐chelate‐substituted gels

The use of copper, zinc, iron, nickel and calcium in three different chelating gels was investigated for preparing immobilized beta-galactosidase. The chelated ligands [Cu(2+)-iminodiacetate (IDA), Cu(2+)-Tris(carboxymethyl)ethylenediamine (TED), Ni(2+)-IDA and Fe(3+)-IDA] absorbed the protein so strongly that it can be considered a true immobilization. The obtained enzyme derivatives were investigated with regard to activity and stability. Enzymic activity was highly preserved in general for the TED derivates (90% when compared with that for Cu(2+)-TED). The immobilized Ni2+ derivatives were more stable to high temperature and to storage than the Cu2+ derivatives. Temperature-stability of the immobilized enzyme was very much improved by adding a strong metal-chelating gel such as carboxymethylated tetraethylenepentamine-agarose. The gel could be re-used and reloaded after elution with chelator. beta-Galactosidase from Escherichia coli was purified using immobilized-metal-ion-chelate chromatography (i.m.a.c.). The potential use of beta-galactosidase immobilized on i.m.a.c. gels for technical purposes is discussed.