Open AccessThe effect of water content and nature of organic solvent on enzyme activity in low‐water media
Author(s) -
ERP Saskia H. M.,
KAMENSKAYA Elvira O.,
KHMELNITSKY Yuri L.
Publication year - 1991
Publication title -
european journal of biochemistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1432-1033
pISSN - 0014-2956
DOI - 10.1111/j.1432-1033.1991.tb16385.x
Subject(s) - organic solvent , chemistry , solvent , catalysis , solvation shell , enzyme , water content , chemical engineering , water activity , denaturation (fissile materials) , organic chemistry , nuclear chemistry , solvation , geotechnical engineering , engineering
A simple theoretical model was suggested to describe quantitatively the effect of water content and nature of organic solvents on catalytic behavior of enzymes suspended in low‐water media. The model was based on a generally accepted notion that the destruction of the protein hydration shell is one of the main reasons for protein denaturation by organic solvents. The validity of the model was confirmed by the example of catalytic behavior of immobilized laccase suspended in water/organic mixtures of different compositions. In addition, the results were used to demonstrate that the effect of organic solvents and/or water content on catalytic behavior of enzymes in low‐water media can be adequately assessed only in terms of the full kinetic description based on properly determined V m and K m values.