Multipoint attachment to a support protects enzyme from inactivation by organic solvents: α‐Chymotrypsin in aqueous solutions of alcohols and diols

Abstract

Inactivation of α‐chymotrypsin in aqueous solutions of alcohols and diols proceeds both reversibly and irreversibly. Reversible loss of the specific enzyme activity results from conformational changes (unfolding) of the enzyme detected by fluorescence spectroscopy. Multipoint covalent attachment to the matrix of polyacryl‐amide gel by copolymerization method stabilizes α‐chymotrypsin from denaturation by alcohols, the stabilizing effect increasing with the number of bonds between the protein and the support. Immobilization protects the enzyme also from irreversible inactivation by organic solvents resulting from bimolecular aggregation and autolysis.