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Enzymatic catalysis in heterogenous mixtures of substrates: The role of the liquid phase and the effects of “Adjuvants”
Author(s) -
LópezFandiño Rosina,
Gill Iqbal,
Vulfson Evgeny N.
Publication year - 1994
Publication title -
biotechnology and bioengineering
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.136
H-Index - 189
eISSN - 1097-0290
pISSN - 0006-3592
DOI - 10.1002/bit.260431104
Subject(s) - dipeptide , catalysis , eutectic system , chemistry , amide , phase (matter) , enzyme catalysis , protease , chemical engineering , liquid phase , peptide , combinatorial chemistry , organic chemistry , enzyme , biochemistry , thermodynamics , physics , alloy , engineering
The physicochemical mechanism of protease‐catalyzed peptide synthesis in heterogenous etuectic mixtures of substrates has been examined by a combination of microscopic techniques. Using a number of model reactions of dipeptide amide synthesis, it was determined that liquid phase catalysis was mostly, if not exclusively, responsible for the observed conversion of substrates. Furthermore, the formation of liquid or semiliquid eutectics was an important requirement for the occurrence of those reactions where both substrates were solids in the pure state. The addition of small quantities of hydrophilic solvents (adjuvants) often resulted in significat improvements in the rates and yields of the reactions. This was due to the ability of these adjuvants to promote the formation of eutectics, thereby increasing the proportion, as well as affecting the composition the properties, as well as affecting the composition and properties of the liquid phase. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.