Immobilization of lipase from Mucor miehei and Rhizopus oryzae into mesoporous silica—The effect of varied particle size and morphology

A Multicomponent Mannich Reaction Catalyzed by Hydrolases Immobilized on Titanate Nanotubes

This study presents an innovative method for synthesizing β-amino carbonylated compounds, specifically 2-[phenyl(phenylamino)methyl] cyclohexanone, achieving high conversions and diastereomeric ratios. Using trypsin or α-chymotrypsin in both free and immobilized forms on titanate nanotubes (NtsTi), synthesized through alkaline hydrothermal methods, successful immobilization yields were attained. Notably, α-chymotrypsin, when free, displayed a diastereoselective synthesis of the anti-isomer with 97 % conversion and 16 : 84 (syn : anti) diastereomeric ratio, which slightly decreased upon immobilization on NtsTi. Trypsin, in its free form, exhibited diastereoselective recognition of the syn-isomer, while immobilization on NtsTi (trypsin/NtsTi) led to an inversion of diastereomeric ratio. Both trypsin/NtsTi and α-chymotrypsin/NtsTi demonstrated significant catalytic efficiency over five cycles. In conclusion, NtsTi serves as an effective support for trypsin and α-chymotrypsin immobilization, presenting promising prospects for diastereoselective synthesis and potential industrial applications. Furthermore, it offers promising prospects for the diastereoselective synthesis of 2-[phenyl(phenylamino)methyl] cyclohexanone through multicomponent Mannich reaction and future industrial application.

Adsorption of lipases on porous silica-based materials for esterification in a solvent-free system

This study deals with lipase immobilization on micro- and mesoporous silica-based materials. The effects of the type of support (silica MCM-41, zeolite HZSM-5 (SAR 25), zeolite HZSM-5 (SAR 280), and the silica-aluminas Siral 10, Siral 20, and Siral 40) were investigated on the immobilization of lipase B from Candida antarctica (CALB) and lipase from Rhizomucor miehei (RML). The supports that allowed the highest immobilization efficiencies for the CALB were Siral 40 (91.4%), HZSM-5 (SAR 280) (90.6%), and MCM-41 (89.4%). Siral 20 allowed the highest immobilization efficiency for RML (97.6%), followed by HZSM-5 (SAR 25) (77.1%) and HZSM-5 (SAR 280) (62.7%). The effect of protein concentration on lipase immobilization was investigated, and the results adjusted well on the Langmuir isotherm model (R2 > 0.9). The maximum protein adsorption capacity of the support determined by the Langmuir model was equal to 10.64 and 20.97 mgprotein gsupport-1 for CALB and RML, respectively. The effects of pH (pH 7.0 and pH 11.0) and phosphate buffer solution concentration (5 and 100 mmol L-1) were also investigated on lipase immobilization. The immobilization efficiency for both lipases was similar for the different pH values. The use of 100 mmol L-1 phosphate buffer decreased the lipase immobilization efficiency. The biocatalysts (CALB-Siral 40 and RML-Siral 20) were tested in the ethyl oleate synthesis. The conversion of 61.7% was obtained at 60 °C in the reaction catalyzed by CALB-Siral 40. Both heterogeneous biocatalysts showed increased thermal stability compared with their free form. Finally, the reuse of the biocatalysts was studied. CALB-Siral 40 and RML-Siral 20 maintained about 30% of the initial conversion after 3 batches of ethyl oleate synthesis. Silica-aluminas (Siral 20 and 40) proved to be a support that allowed a high efficiency of immobilization of lipases and activity for esterification reaction.

Effective immobilization of lactate dehydrogenase onto mesoporous silica

This study presents that covalent immobilization technique has been utilized for the immobilization of l-lactate dehydrogenase (l-LDH) from porcine on mesoporous silica. To develop mesoporous silica as support material for use in l-LDH immobilization, the particle surfaces were functionalized with 3-aminopropyltrimethoxysilane and further conjugated with glutaraldehyde. The effect of some parameters such as glutaraldehyde concentration, immobilization pH, initial enzyme concentration, and immobilization time was investigated and the optimum conditions for these parameters were determined as 1% (w/v), pH 8.0, 1 mg/ml, and 120 min, respectively. The maximum working pH and temperature for the oxidation of lactate to pyruvate reaction were determined as 10.0 and 35°C for free and 9.0 and 40°C for immobilized l-LDH, respectively. The kinetic parameters (K_m and V_max ) of l-LDH for the oxidation of lactate to pyruvate reaction were examined as 1.02 mM and 7.58 U/mg protein for free and 0.635 mM and 1.7 U/mg protein for immobilized l-LDH, respectively. Moreover, the immobilized l-LDH was 1.3-fold more stable than free l-LDH at 25°C according to calculated t_1/2 values. The immobilized l-LDH retained 80% of its initial activity in a batch reactor after 14 reuses.

Valorization of Waste Cooking Oil into Biodiesel via Bacillus stratosphericus Lipase Amine-Functionalized Mesoporous SBA-15 Nanobiocatalyst

In this study, evaporation-induced self-assembly was applied to prepare amine-functionalized nano-silica (NH2-Pr-SBA-15). That was simply used to immobilize Bacillus stratosphericus PSP8 lipase (E–NH2–Pr-SBA-15), producing a nanobiocatalyst with good stability under vigorous shaking and a maximum lipase activity of 45 ± 2 U/mL. High-resolution X-ray diffractometer, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, N2 adsorption-desorption, field-emission scanning electron, and high-resolution transmission electron microscopic analyses proved the successful SBA-15 functionalization and enzyme immobilization. Response surface methodology based on a 1/2 fraction-three-levels face center composite design was applied to optimize the biodiesel transesterification process. This expressed efficient percentage conversion (97.85%) and biodiesel yield (97.01%) under relatively mild operating conditions: 3.12 : 1 methanol to oil ratio, 3.08 wt.% E–NH2–Pr-SBA-15 loading, 48.6°C, 3.19 h at a mixing rate of 495.53 rpm. E–NH2–Pr-SBA-15 proved to have a long lifetime, operational stability, and reusability.

First biocatalytic synthesis of piperidine derivatives via an immobilized lipase-catalyzed multicomponent reaction

A robust and reusable biocatalyst was constructed via immobilization of lipase onto magnetic halloysite nanotubes for the synthesis of piperidine derivatives.

Immobilized phytases: an overview of different strategies, support material, and their applications in improving food and feed nutrition

Phytases are the most widely used food and feed enzymes, which aid in nutritional improvement by reducing anti-nutritional factor. Despite the benefits, enzymes usage in the industry is restricted by several factors such as their short life-span and poor reusability, which result in high costs for large-scale utilization at commercial scale. Furthermore, under pelleting conditions such as high temperatures, pH, and other factors, the enzyme becomes inactive due to lesser stability. Immobilization of phytases has been suggested as a way to overcome these limitations with improved performance. Matrices used to immobilize phytases include inorganic (Hydroxypatite, zeolite, and silica), organic (Polyacrylamide, epoxy resins, alginate, chitosan, and starch agar), soluble matrix (Polyvinyl alcohol), and nanomaterials including nanoparticles, nanofibers, nanotubes. Several surface analysis methods, including thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and FTIR analysis, have been used to characterize immobilized phytase. Immobilized phytases have been used in a broad range of biotechnological applications such as animal feed, biodegradation of food phytates, preparations of myo-inositol phosphates, and sulfoxidation by vanadate-substituted peroxidase. This article provides information on different matrices used for phytase immobilization from the last two decades, including the process of immobilization and support material, surface analysis techniques, and multifarious biotechnological applications of the immobilized phytases.

Highly effective enzymes immobilization on ceramics: Requirements for supports and enzymes

Enzyme immobilization is a well-known method for the improvement of enzyme reusability and stability. To achieve very high effectiveness of the enzyme immobilization, not only does the method of attachment need to be optimized, but the appropriate support must be chosen. The essential necessities addressed to the support applied for enzyme immobilization can be focused on the material features as well as on the stability and resistances in certain conditions. Ceramic membranes and nanoparticles are the most widespread supports for enzyme immobilization. Hence, the immobilization of enzymes on ceramic membrane and nanoparticles are summarized and discussed. The important properties of the supports are particle size, pore structure, active surface area, volume to surface ratio, type and number of reactive available groups, as well as thermal, mechanical, and chemical stability. The modifiers and the crosslinkers are crucial to the enzyme loading amount, the chemical and physical stability, and the reusability and catalytical activity of the immobilized enzymes. Therefore, the chemical and physical methods of modification of ceramic materials are presented. The most popular and used modifiers (e.g. APTES, CPTES, VTES) as well as activating agents (GA, gelatin, EDC and/or NHS) applied to the grafting process are discussed. Moreover, functional groups of enzymes are presented and discussed since they play important roles in the enzyme immobilization via covalent bonding. The enhanced physical, chemical, and catalytical properties of immobilized enzymes are discussed revealing the positive balance between the effectiveness of the immobilization process, preservation of high enzyme activity, its good stability, and relatively low cost.

Operational Stability, Regenerability, and Thermodynamics Studies on Biogenic Silica/Magnetite/Graphene Oxide Nanocomposite-Activated Candida rugosa Lipase

Inorganic biopolymer-based nanocomposites are useful for stabilizing lipases for enhanced catalytic performance and easy separation. Herein, we report the operational stability, regenerability, and thermodynamics studies of the ternary biogenic silica/magnetite/graphene oxide nanocomposite (SiO₂/Fe₃O₄/GO) as a support for Candida rugosa lipase (CRL). The X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), field-electron scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), vibrating sample magnetometry (VSM), and nitrogen adsorption/desorption data on the support and biocatalyst corroborated their successful fabrication. XPS revealed the Fe₃O₄ adopted Fe²⁺ and Fe³⁺ oxidation states, while XRD data of GO yielded a peak at 2θ = 11.67°, with the SiO₂/Fe₃O₄/GO revealing a high surface area (≈261 m²/g). The fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra affirmed the successful fabricated supports and catalyst. The half-life and thermodynamic parameters of the superparamagnetic immobilized CRL (CRL/SiO₂/Fe₃O₄/GO) improved over the free CRL. The microwave-regenerated CRL/SiO₂/Fe₃O₄/GO (≈82%) exhibited higher catalytic activity than ultrasonic-regenerated (≈71%) ones. Lower activation (Ea) and higher deactivation energies (Ed) were also noted for the CRL/SiO₂/Fe₃O₄/GO (13.87 kJ/mol, 32.32 kJ/mol) than free CRL (15.26 kJ/mol, 27.60 kJ/mol). A peak at 4.28 min in the gas chromatograph-flame ionization detection (GC-FID) chromatogram of the purified ethyl valerate supported the unique six types of 14 hydrogen atoms of the ester (CAS: 539-82-2) in the proton nuclear magnetic resonance (¹H-NMR) data. The results collectively demonstrated the suitability of SiO₂/Fe₃O₄/GO in stabilizing CRL for improved operational stability and thermodynamics and permitted biocatalyst regenerability.

Immobilized lipase-catalyzed transesterification for synthesis of biolubricant from palm oil methyl ester and trimethylolpropane

The present study reports the effects of three commercial immobilized lipases namely Novozyme 435 from Candida antarctica lipase B (CALB), Lipozyme TL IM from Thermomyces lanuginosus and Lipozyme RM IM from Rhizomucor miehei on the production of trimethylolpropane (TMP) ester from high oleic palm methyl ester (HO-PME) and TMP. The TMP ester is a promising base oil for biolubricants that are easily biodegradable and non-toxic to humans and the environment. Enzymatic catalysts are insensitive to free fatty acid (FFA) content, hence able to mitigate the side reactions and consequently reduce product separation cost. The potential of these enzymes to produce TMP ester in a solvent-free medium was screened at various reaction time (8, 23, 30 and 48 h), operating pressure (0.1, 0.3 and 1.0 mbar) and enzyme dosage (1, 3, 5 and 10% w/w). The reaction was conducted at a constant temperature of 70 °C and a molar ratio of 3.9:1 (HO-PME: TMP). Novozyme 435 produced the highest yield of TMP ester of 95.68 ± 3.60% under the following conditions: 23 h reaction time, 0.1 mbar operating pressure and 5% w/w of enzyme dosage. The key lubrication properties of the produced TMP ester are viscosity index (208 ± 2), pour point (- 30 ± - 2 °C), cloud point (- 15 ± - 2 °C), onset thermal degradation temperature (427.8 °C), and oxidation stability, RPVOT (42 ± 4 min). The properties of the TMP ester produced from the enzymatic transesterification are comparable to other vegetable oil-based biolubricants produced by chemical transesterification.

Ternary biogenic silica/magnetite/graphene oxide composite for the hyperactivation of Candida rugosa lipase in the esterification production of ethyl valerate

Oil palm leaves (OPL) silica (SiO₂) can replace the energy-intensive, commercially produced SiO₂. Moreover, the agronomically sourced biogenic SiO₂ is more biocompatible and cost-effective enzyme support, which properties could be improved by the addition of magnetite (Fe₃O₄) and graphene oxide (GO) to yield better ternary support to immobilize enzymes, i.e., Candida rugosa lipase (CRL). This study aimed to optimize the Candida rugosa lipase (CRL immobilization onto the ternary OPL-silica-magnetite (Fe₃O₄)-GO (SiO₂/Fe₃O₄/GO) support, for use as biocatalyst for ethyl valerate (EV) production. Notably, this is the first study detailing the CRL/SiO₂/Fe3O4/GO biocatalyst preparation for rapid and high yield production of ethyl valerate (EV). AFM and FESEM micrographs revealed globules of CRL covalently bound to GL-A-SiO₂/Fe₃O₄/GO; similar to Raman and UV-spectroscopy results. FTIR spectra revealed amide bonds at 3478 cm^-1 and 1640 cm^-1 from covalent interactions between CRL and GL-A-SiO₂/Fe₃O₄/GO. Optimum immobilization conditions were 4% (v/v) glutaraldehyde, 8 mg/mL CRL, at 16 h stirring in 150 mM NaCl at 30 °C, offering 24.78 ± 0.26 mg/g protein (specific activity = 65.24 ± 0.88 U/g). The CRL/SiO₂/Fe₃O₄/GO yielded 77.43 ± 1.04 % of EV compared to free CRL (48.75 ± 0.70 %), verifying the suitability of SiO₂/Fe₃O₄/GO to hyperactivate and stabilize CRL for satisfactory EV production.

Integrated Utilization Strategy for Soybean Oil Deodorizer Distillate: Synergically Synthesizing Biodiesel and Recovering Bioactive Compounds by a Combined Enzymatic Process and Molecular Distillation

Soybean oil deodorizer distillate (SODD) is well recognized as a good source of both biodiesel and high-value bioactive compounds of tocopherols, squalene, and phytosterols. To achieve a one-step synthesis of biodiesel and recovery of bioactive compounds from SODD, four commercial immobilized enzymes (Novozym 435, Lipozyme TLIM, Lipozyme RMIM, and Lipozyme RM) and one self-prepared immobilized lipase MAS1-H108A were compared. The results showed that immobilized lipase MAS1-H108A due to the better methanol tolerance and higher catalytic activity gave the highest biodiesel yield of 97.08% under the optimized conditions: molar ratio of 1:2 (oil/methanol), temperature of 35 °C, and enzyme loading of 35 U/g SODD, even after 10 persistent cycles without significant decrease of activity. Simultaneously, there was no loss of tocopherols and squalene in SODD during the enzymatic reaction. Pure biodiesel (characterized by fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR)) and a high concentration of bioactive compounds could be successfully separated by molecular distillation at 100 °C. In a word, this work provides an interesting idea to achieve environmentally friendly treatment of SODD by combining an enzymatic process and molecular distillation, and it is suitable for industrial production.

Nanostructured materials for harnessing the power of horseradish peroxidase for tailored environmental applications

High catalytic efficiency, stereoselectivity, and sustainability outcomes of enzymes entice chemists for considering biocatalytic transformations to supplant conventional synthetic routes. As a green and versatile enzyme, horseradish peroxidase (HRP)-based enzymatic catalysis has been widely employed in a range of biological and chemical transformation processes. Nevertheless, like many other enzymes, HRP is likely to denature or destabilize in harsh realistic conditions due to its intrinsic fragile nature, which results in inevitably shortened lifespan and immensely high bioprocess cost. Enzyme immobilization has proven as a prospective strategy for improving their biocatalytic performance in continuous industrial processes. Nanostructured materials with huge accessible surface area, abundant porous structures, exceptional functionalities, and high chemical and mechanical stability have recently garnered intriguing research interests as novel kinds of supporting matrices for HRP immobilization. Many reported immobilized biocatalytic systems have demonstrated high catalytic performances than that to the free form of enzymes, such as enhanced enzyme efficiency, selectivity, stability, and repeatability due to the protective microenvironments provided by nanostructures. This review delineates an updated overview of HRP immobilization using an array of nanostructured materials. Furthermore, the general physicochemical aspects, improved catalytic attributes, and the robust practical implementations of engineered HRP-based catalytic cues are also discussed with suitable examples. To end, concluding remarks, challenges, and worthy suggestions/perspectives for future enzyme immobilization are also given.

Mesocellular Silica Foams (MCFs) with Tunable Pore Size as a Support for Lysozyme Immobilization: Adsorption Equilibrium and Kinetics, Biocomposite Properties

The effect of the porous structure of mesocellular silica foams (MCFs) on the lysozyme (LYS) adsorption capacity, as well as the rate, was studied to design the effective sorbent for potential applications as the carriers of biomolecules. The structural (N2 adsorption/desorption isotherms), textural (SEM, TEM), acid-base (potentiometric titration), adsorption properties, and thermal characteristics of the obtained lysozyme/silica composites were studied. The protein adsorption equilibrium and kinetics showed significant dependence on silica pore size. For instance, LYS adsorption uptake on MCF-6.4 support (pore diameter 6.4 nm) was about 0.29 g/g. The equilibrium loading amount of LYS on MCF-14.5 material (pore size 14.5 nm) increased to 0.55 g/g. However, when the pore diameter was larger than 14.5 nm, the LYS adsorption value systematically decreased with increasing pore size (e.g., for MCF-30.1 was only 0.27 g/g). The electrostatic attractive interactions between the positively charged lysozyme (at pH = 7.4) and the negatively charged silica played a significant role in the immobilization process. The differences in protein adsorption and surface morphology for the biocomposites of various pore sizes were found. The thermal behavior of the studied bio/systems was conducted by TG/DSC/FTIR/MS coupled method. It was found that the thermal degradation of lysozyme/silica composites was a double-stage process in the temperature range 165-420-830 °C.

The Immobilization of Lipases on Porous Support by Adsorption and Hydrophobic Interaction Method

Four major enzymes commonly used in the market are lipases, proteases, amylases, and cellulases. For instance, in both academic and industrial levels, microbial lipases have been well studied for industrial and biotechnological applications compared to others. Immobilization is done to minimize the cost. The improvement of enzyme properties enables the reusability of enzymes and facilitates enzymes used in a continuous process. Immobilized enzymes are enzymes physically confined in a particularly defined region with retention to their catalytic activities. Immobilized enzymes can be used repeatedly compared to free enzymes, which are unable to catalyze reactions continuously in the system. Immobilization also provides a higher pH value and thermal stability for enzymes toward synthesis. The main parameter influencing the immobilization is the support used to immobilize the enzyme. The support should have a large surface area, high rigidity, suitable shape and particle size, reusability, and resistance to microbial attachment, which will enhance the stability of the enzyme. The diffusion of the substrate in the carrier is more favorable on hydrophobic supports instead of hydrophilic supports. The methods used for enzyme immobilization also play a crucial role in immobilization performance. The combination of immobilization methods will increase the binding force between enzymes and the support, thus reducing the leakage of the enzymes from the support. The adsorption of lipase on a hydrophobic support causes the interfacial activation of lipase during immobilization. The adsorption method also causes less or no change in enzyme conformation, especially on the active site of the enzyme. Thus, this method is the most used in the immobilization process for industrial applications.

Robust Magnetized Oil Palm Leaves Ash Nanosilica Composite as Lipase Support: Immobilization Protocol and Efficacy Study

Strategies to immobilize the individual enzymes are crucial for enhancing catalytic applicability and require a controlled immobilization process. Herein, protocol for immobilizing Candida rugosa lipase (CRL) onto modified magnetic silica derived from oil palm leaves ash (OPLA) was optimized for the effects of concentration of CRL, immobilization time, and temperature, monitored by titrimetric and spectrometric methods. XRD and TGA-DTG spectrometric observations indicated that OPLA-silica was well coated over magnetite (SiO₂-MNPs) and CRLs were uniformly bound by covalent bonds to SiO₂-MNPs (CRL/Gl-A-SiO₂-MNPs). The optimized immobilization protocol showed that in the preparation of CRL/Gl-A-SiO₂-MNPs, CRL with 68.3 mg/g protein loading and 74.6 U/g specific activity was achieved using 5 mg/mL of CRL, with an immobilization time of 12 h at 25 °C. The present work also demonstrated that acid-pretreated OPLA is a potential source of renewable silica, envisioning its applicability for practical use in enzymatic catalysis on solid support.

Thiographene synthesized from fluorographene via xanthogenate with immobilized enzymes for environmental remediation

Graphene, graphene oxide and their related thiographene-, hydroxygraphene- or fluorographene-based materials have broad applications. We report on the thiol-functionalization of fluorographene via xanthogenate. Such thiographene contains 5.1 at% of sulphur in the form of thiol groups, which is the highest thiol content reported to date. Such tailored thiographene allows the immobilization of two types of enzymes. Here, we explore the functionalization of highly thiolated graphene with enzymes via physisorption or covalent linkage producing an important heterogeneous biocatalyst platform for wastewater treatment applications. Thiographene modified with a lipase from Mucor miehei can find utilization in lipid-rich wastewater treatment whereas the catalase-modified thiographene is intended for bioremediation applications. Upon increasing concentration of the thiol groups on graphene, protein loading of the catalase was increased by 16% and the ester bond cleavage activity of the thiographene-immobilized lipase was 129% that of the free lipase. We expect that such a highly active heterogeneous thiographene-based biocatalyst will find a use in water remediation applications.

Growth and Functionalization of Particle-Based Mesoporous Silica Films and Their Usage in Catalysis

We report the formation of mesoporous films consisting of SBA-15 particles grown directly onto substrates and their usage as catalysts in esterification of acetic acid and ethanol. The film thickness was altered between 80 nm and 750 nm by adding NH₄F to the synthesis solution. The salt also affects the formation rate of the particles, and substrates must be added during the formation of the siliceous network in the solution. Various substrate functionalizations were tested and hydrophobic substrates are required for a successful film growth. We show that large surfaces (> 75 cm²), as well as 3D substrates, can be homogenously coated. Further, the films were functionalized, either with acetic acid through co-condensation, or by coating the films with a thin carbon layer through exposure to furfuryl alcohol fumes followed by carbonization and sulfonation with H₂SO₄. The carbon-coated film was shown to be an efficient catalyst in the esterification reaction with acetic acid and ethanol. Due to the short, accessible mesopores, chemical variability, and possibility to homogenously cover large, rough surfaces. the films have a large potential for usage in various applications such as catalysis, sensing, and drug delivery.

Hairy Particles with Immobilized Enzymes: Impact of Particle Topology on the Catalytic Activity

Enzymes are described as ideal green biocatalysts because they are highly specific and selective. However, their practical application is hampered because of the low stability and missing reusability of free enzymes. One method to overcome these problems is the immobilization of enzymes onto carriers. Although numerous publications discuss different immobilization strategies, optimization of these carriers for the highest enzyme activity and loading capacity, enzyme selectivity, reusability, and reactor system configuration still remains a challenging task. In this contribution, we aim to address the role of the core-shell particle design with respect to their geometry as well as the polymer shell thickness on the immobilization of biomolecules. We discovered that spherical particles with a core diameter of 200 nm and intermediate shell thickness as well as platelet-like particles exhibited excellent results with a maximum immobilization yield of laccase from Trametes versicolor of up to 92% and an activity on the carrier material of 5.722 U/(g particle). Especially, the platelet-like particles offered a scalable and convenient alternative for the immobilization of laccase. Circular dichroism measurements proved that the secondary structure of the enzyme is not impaired by immobilization onto all kinds of carrier particles. Moreover, the immobilized laccase was successfully used for the decolorization of Cibacron blue P-3R in up to 18 cycles. Finally, particle separation was achieved via citrate-induced flocculation within 10 min. This detailed study contributes to the understanding of rational design of catalytically active hybrid materials and their effective performance at interfaces for applications in textile industry and environmental technologies.

Cell adherence and drug delivery from particle based mesoporous silica films

Spatially and temporally controlled drug delivery is important for implant and tissue engineering applications, as the efficacy and bioavailability of the drug can be enhanced, and can also allow for drugging stem cells at different stages of development. Long-term drug delivery over weeks to months is however difficult to achieve, and coating of 3D surfaces or creating patterned surfaces is a challenge using coating techniques like spin- and dip-coating. In this study, mesoporous films consisting of SBA-15 particles grown onto silicon wafers using wet processing were evaluated as a scaffold for drug delivery. Films with various particle sizes (100–900 nm) and hence thicknesses were grown onto trichloro(octadecyl)silane-functionalized silicon wafers using a direct growth method. Precise patterning of the areas for film growth could be obtained by local removal of the OTS functionalization through laser ablation. The films were incubated with the drug model 3,3′-dioctadecyloxacarbocyanine perchlorate (DiO), and murine myoblast cells (C2C12 cells) were seeded onto films with different particle sizes. Confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) was used to study the cell growth, and a vinculin-mediated adherence of C2C12 cells on all films was verified. The successful loading of DiO into the films was confirmed by UV-vis and CLSM. It was observed that the drugs did not desorb from the particles during 24 hours in cell culture. During adherent growth on the films for 4 h, small amounts of DiO and separate particles were observed inside single cells. After 24 h, a larger number of particles and a strong DiO signal were recorded in the cells, indicating a particle mediated drug uptake. The vast majority of the DiO-loaded particles remained attached to the substrate also after 24 h of incubation, making the films attractive as longer-term reservoirs for drugs on e.g. medical implants.

Particle-based mesoporous silica films synthesized through a direct growth method were successfully used as a drug delivery system.

Engineering intelligent particle-lipid composites that control lipase-mediated digestion

Nanostructured particle-lipid composites have emerged as state-of-the-art carrier systems for poorly water-soluble bioactive molecules due to their ability to control and enhance the lipase-mediated hydrolysis of encapsulated triglycerides, leading to a subsequent improvement in the solubilisation and absorption of encapsulated species. The first generation of particle-lipid composites (i.e. silica-lipid hybrid (SLH) microparticles) were designed and fabricated by spray drying a silica nanoparticle-stabilised Pickering emulsion, to create a novel three-dimensional architecture, whereby lipid droplets were encapsulated within a porous matrix support. The development of SLH microparticles has acted as a solid foundation for the synthesis of several next generation particle-lipid composites, including polymer-lipid hybrid (PLH) and clay-lipid hybrid systems (CLH), which present lipase with unique lipid microenvironments for optimised lipolysis. This review details the methods utilised to engineer lipid hybrid particles and the strategic investigations that have been performed to determine the influence of key material characteristics on digestion enzyme activity. In doing so, this provides insight into manipulating the mechanism of lipase action through the intelligent design of lipid-based biomaterials for their use in drug delivery formulations and novel functional foods.

Tubular and Spherical SiO₂ Obtained by Sol Gel Method for Lipase Immobilization and Enzymatic Activity

A wide range of hybrid biomaterials has been designed in order to sustain bioremediation processes by associating sol-gel SiO₂ matrices with various biologically active compounds (enzymes, antibodies). SiO₂ is a widespread, chemically stable and non-toxic material; thus, the immobilization of enzymes on silica may lead to improving the efficiency of biocatalysts in terms of endurance and economic costs. Our present work explores the potential of different hybrid morphologies, based on hollow tubes and solid spheres of amorphous SiO₂, for enzyme immobilization and the development of competitive biocatalysts. The synthesis protocol and structural characterization of spherical and tubular SiO₂ obtained by the sol gel method were fully investigated in connection with the subsequent immobilization of lipase from Rhizopus orizae. The immobilization is conducted at pH 6, lower than the isoelectric point of lipase and higher than the isoelectric point of silica, which is meant to sustain the physical interactions of the enzyme with the SiO₂ matrix. The morphological, textural and surface properties of spherical and tubular SiO₂ were investigated by SEM, nitrogen sorption, and electrokinetic potential measurements, while the formation and characterization of hybrid organic-inorganic complexes were studied by UV-VIS, FTIR-ATR and fluorescence spectroscopy. The highest degree of enzyme immobilization (as depicted from total organic carbon) was achieved for tubular morphology and the hydrolysis of p-nitrophenyl acetate was used as an enzymatic model reaction conducted in the presence of hybrid lipase–SiO₂ complex.

Lipase immobilised on silica monoliths as continuous-flow microreactors for triglyceride transesterification

Lipase immobilised on silica monoliths has been prepared and applied as biocatalytic continuous-flow microreactors for the transesterification of tributyrin as a model bio-oil component.

Immobilisation on mesoporous silica and solvent rinsing improve the transesterification abilities of feruloyl esterases from Myceliophthora thermophila

The immobilisation of four feruloyl esterases (FAEs) (FaeA1, FaeA2, FaeB1, FaeB2) from the thermophilic fungus Myceliophthora thermophila C1 was studied and optimised via physical adsorption onto various mesoporous silica particles with pore diameters varying from 6.6nm to 10.9nm. Using crude enzyme preparations, enrichment of immobilised FAEs was observed, depending on pore diameter and protein size. The immobilised enzymes were successfully used for the synthesis of butyl ferulate through transesterification of methyl ferulate with 1-butanol. Although the highest butyl ferulate yields were obtained with free enzyme, the synthesis-to-hydrolysis ratio was higher when using immobilised enzymes. Over 90% of the initial activity was observed in a reusability experiment after nine reaction cycles, each lasting 24h. Rinsing with solvent to remove water from the immobilised enzymes further improved their activity. This study demonstrates the suitability of immobilised crude enzyme preparations in the development of biocatalysts for esterification reactions.

Improvement of extracellular lipase production by a newly isolated Yarrowia lipolytica mutant and its application in the biosynthesis of L-ascorbyl palmitate

Yarrowia lipolytica Wt-11 producing an extracellular lipase was isolated and identified. To improve the lipase production, Y. lipolytica Wt-11 was subjected to low-energy ion implantation mutation breeding, and a best mutant, Y. lipolytica Mut-96, was obtained after screening. Under the optimal cultivation conditions, the scaled-up production of lipases were performed, and the lipase activity of Y. lipolytica Mut-96 was enhanced nearly 5.5-fold compared with that of Y. lipolytica Wt-11. After fermentation, the lipases were purified, and the characteristics of the purified lipases were studied. The optimum temperatures and pHs for lipases from Wt-11and Mut-96 were 30°C and 8.0, respectively. The purified lipases were stable between pH 7.0 and 8.5 and unstable at temperatures above 40°C. The lipase activities were enhanced by Ca²⁺, Ba²⁺, Mn²⁺, Fe²⁺ and SDS. The synthesis of L-ascorbyl palmitate via esterification with L-ascorbic acid and palmitic acid by immobilized lipases from Wt-11 and Mut-96 in organic media was investigated, and the L-ascorbyl palmitate can be respectively produced at levels of 14.8 and 27.5g/L.

Influence of operating conditions and immobilization on activity of alcohol dehydrogenase for the conversion of formaldehyde to methanol

Improved activity of alcohol dehydrogenase by immobilization in octyl-functionalized siliceous mesostructured cellular foams and tuning of pressure and formaldehyde concentration.

Nanostructuring Biomaterials with Specific Activities towards Digestive Enzymes for Controlled Gastrointestinal Absorption of Lipophilic Bioactive Molecules

This review describes the development of novel lipid-based biomaterials that modulate fat digestion for the enhanced uptake of encapsulated lipophilic bioactive compounds (e.g. drugs and vitamins). Specific focus is directed towards analysing how key material characteristics affect the biological function of digestive lipases and manipulate lipolytic digestion. The mechanism of lipase action is a complex, interfacial process, whereby hydrolysis can be controlled by the ability for lipase to access and adsorb to the lipid-in-water interface. However, significant conjecture exists within the literature regarding parameters that influence the activities of digestive lipases. Important findings from recent investigations that strategically examined the interplay between the interfacial composition of the lipid microenvironment and lipolysis kinetics in simulated biophysical environments are presented. The correlation between lipolysis and the rate of solubilisation and absorption of lipophilic compounds in the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) is detailed. Greater insights into the mechanism of lipase action have provided a new approach for designing colloidal carriers that orally deliver poorly soluble compounds, directly impacting the pharmaceutical and food industries.

Towards A Deeper Understanding of the Interfacial Adsorption of Enzyme Molecules in Gigaporous Polymeric Microspheres

Compared with the one immobilized in the conventional mesoporous microspheres, the enzyme immobilized in gigaporous microspheres showed much higher activity and better stability. To gain a deeper understanding, we herein selected lipase as a prototype to comparatively analyze the adsorption behavior of lipase at interfaces in gigaporous and mesoporous polystyrene microspheres at very low lipase concentration, and further compared with the adsorption on a completely flat surface (a chip). Owing to the limited space of narrow pores, lipase molecules were inclined to be adsorbed as a monolayer in mesoporous microspheres. During this process, the interaction between lipase molecules and the interface was stronger, which could result in the structural change of lipase molecular and compromised specific activity. In addition to monolayer adsorption, more multilayer adsorption of enzyme molecules also occurred in gigaporous microspheres. Besides the adsorption state, the pore curvature also affected the lipase adsorption. Due to the multilayer adsorption, the excellent mass transfer properties for the substrate and the product in the large pores, and the small pore curvature, lipase immobilized in gigaporous microspheres showed better behaviors.

Mesoporous silica nanoparticles with controllable morphology prepared from oil-in-water emulsions

Mesoporous silica nanoparticles are an important class of materials with a wide range of applications. This paper presents a simple protocol for synthesis of particles as small as 40nm and with a pore size that can be as large as 9nm. Reaction conditions including type of surfactant, type of catalyst and presence of organic polymer were investigated in order to optimize the synthesis. An important aim of the work was to understand the mechanism behind the formation of these unusual structures and an explanation based on silica condensation in the small aqueous microemulsion droplets that are present inside the drops of an oil-in-water emulsion is put forward.

Candida rugosa lipase immobilization on magnetic silica aerogel nanodispersion

C. rugosalipase was successfully immobilized on hydrophobic magnetic silica aerogel nanodispersion by simple physical adsorption.

Novel Nanostructured Solid Materials for Modulating Oral Drug Delivery from Solid-State Lipid-Based Drug Delivery Systems

Lipid-based drug delivery systems (LBDDS) have gained significant attention in recent times, owing to their ability to overcome the challenges limiting the oral delivery of poorly water-soluble drugs. Despite the successful commercialization of several LBDDS products over the years, a large discrepancy exists between the number of poorly water-soluble drugs displaying suboptimal in vivo performances and the application of LBDDS to mitigate their various delivery challenges. Conventional LBDDS, including lipid solutions and suspensions, emulsions, and self-emulsifying formulations, suffer from various drawbacks limiting their widespread use and commercialization. Accordingly, solid-state LBDDS, fabricated by adsorbing LBDDS onto a chemically inert solid carrier material, have attracted substantial interest as a viable means of stabilizing LBDDS whilst eliminating some of the various limitations. This review describes the impact of solid carrier choice on LBDDS performance and highlights the importance of appropriate solid carrier material selection when designing hybrid solid-state LBDDS. Specifically, emphasis is placed on discussing the ability of the specific solid carrier to modulate drug release, control lipase action and lipid digestion, and enhance biopharmaceutical performance above the original liquid-state LBDDS. To encourage the interested reader to consider their solid carrier choice on a higher level, various novel materials with the potential for future use as solid carriers for LBDDS are described. This review is highly significant in guiding future research directions in the solid-state LBDDS field and fostering the translation of these delivery systems to the pharmaceutical marketplace.

Immobilization, Regiospecificity Characterization and Application of Aspergillus oryzae Lipase in the Enzymatic Synthesis of the Structured Lipid 1,3-Dioleoyl-2-Palmitoylglycerol

The enzymatic synthesis of 1,3-dioleoyl-2-palmitoylglycerol (OPO), one of the main components of human milk fats, has been hindered by the relatively high cost of sn-1,3-specific lipases and the deficiency in biocatalyst stability. The sn-1,3-specific lipase from Aspergillus oryzae (AOL) is highly and efficiently immobilized with the polystyrene-based hydrophobic resin D3520, with a significant 49.54-fold increase in specific lipase activity compared with the AOL powder in catalyzing the synthesis of OPO through the acidolysis between palm stearin and oleic acid (OA). The optimal immobilization conditions were investigated, including time course, initial protein concentration and solution pH. The sn-1,3 specificity of lipases under different immobilization conditions was evaluated and identified as positively associated with the lipase activity, and the pH of the immobilization solution influenced the regiospecificity and synthetic activity of these lipases. Immobilized AOL D3520, as the biocatalyst, was used for the enzymatic synthesis of the structured lipid OPO through the acidolysis between palm stearin and OA. The following conditions were optimized for the synthesis of structured lipid OPO: 65 °C temperature; 1:8 substrate molar ratio between palm stearin and OA; 8% (w/w) enzyme load; 3.5% water content of the immobilized lipase; and 1 h reaction time. Under these conditions, highly efficient C52 production (45.65%) was achieved, with a tripalmitin content of 2.75% and a sn-2 palmitic acid (PA) proportion of 55.08% in the system.

A fluorescence spectroscopy assay for real-time monitoring of enzyme immobilization into mesoporous silica particles

Mesoporous silica particles are used as support material for immobilization of enzymes. Here we investigated a fluorescence-based assay for real-time monitoring of the immobilization of lipase, bovine serum albumin, and glucose oxidase into micrometer-sized mesoporous silica particles. The proteins are labeled with the dye epicocconone, and the interaction with the particles is observed as an increase in emission intensity of the protein-dye conjugates that can be quantified if correcting for a comparatively slow photobleaching. The immobilization occurs in tens of minutes to hours depending on particle concentration and type of protein. In the limit of excess particles over proteins, the formation of the particle-protein complexes can be described by a single exponential growth for all three investigated proteins, and the fitted pseudo-first-order rate constant increases linearly with particle concentration for each protein type. The derived second-order rate constant k varies with the protein hydrodynamic radius according to k∼RH(-4.70±0.01), indicating that the rate-limiting step at high particle concentrations is not the diffusional encounter between proteins and particles but rather the entry into the pores, consistent with the hydrodynamic radii of the three proteins being smaller but comparable to the pore radius of the particles.

Co-immobilization of enzymes with the help of a dendronized polymer and mesoporous silica nanoparticles

Two enzymes were immobilized in close proximity to each other using enzyme-containing mesoporous nanoparticles and a dendronized polymer–enzyme hybrid structure.