A mild method of general use for covalent coupling of enzymes to chemically activated collagen films

Films of highly polymerized collagen, prepared in industrial conditions, were chosen for surface covalent binding of enzymes because of their insolubility, mechanical resistance, proteic nature, hydrophilic properties and for their abundance in chemically activable COOH. Untanned films, previously acid‐ methylated, were activated by acyl azide formation. After removal of reagents by repeated washing, the coupling of enzyme was performed by immersion of the activated film in the enzyme solutions (2 to 3 hr, 0°C). The procedure is particularly mild since the enzymes never come into contact with chemical reagents, and thus avoid all denaturing processes. All the enzymes tested were successfully bound: glutamate dehydrogenase, lactate dehydrogenase, malate dehydrogenase, aspartate aminotransferase, glutamate pyruvate transaminase, creatine kinase, hexokinase, trypsin, and urease. As tested with aspartate amino transferase, enzymatic activity remained constant for months (100% after 5 months) in spite of repeated use of the film at 30°C, washing and storage in buffer at 4°C between assays.