Preparation and some properties of chitosan bound enzymes.

An immobilization method using chitosan prepared from chitin as an insoluble carrier was investigated. Glucose isomerase, urease, glucamylase, trypsin and glucose oxidase were attached to chitosan by the aid of water soluble carbodiimide. Their activity yields were as follows; glucose isomerase 32%, urease 44%, glucamylase 8%, trypsin 10%, glucose oxidase 37%. Immobilized glucose isomerase showed no significant changes in optimal temperature and heat stability. But pH optimum of reaction and pH stability range were somewhat lowered. The inhibitory effects of bivalent metal ions were considerably reduced by immobilization and similar tendency was observed for buffer reagents such as Tris or veronal. Immobilized glucose isomerase was inhibited by 8M urea or 6M guanidine hydrochloride in nearly the same way as free enzyme. With SDS, cysteine or mercaptoethanol free glucose isomerase was scarcely affected by these reagents, while immobilized enzyme considerably suffered to a loss of its activity.