Method for recyclably using an enzyme
AssigneesThe Regents of the University of Colorado, a body corporate, The University of Chicago
InventorsJoel L. Kaar, Garrett Chado, Mark Stoykovich
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Abstract
The invention provides methods and systems by which enzymes can be modified to improve solubility, catalytic activity, recoverability, and recyclability. The enzyme may be modified with a thermosensitive copolymer to form an enzyme-polymer conjugate that exhibits upper critical solution temperature (UCST) and/or lower critical solution temperature (LCST)-type behavior in an organic solvent, ionic liquid, or other solvent. Methods and systems of the invention facilitate the use of enzymes as biocatalysts in solvents.
Claims11
A method for recyclably using an enzyme as a catalyst in a solvent, comprising:
- a) reacting the enzyme with a polymer to form an enzyme-polymer conjugate;
- b) dissolving the enzyme-polymer conjugate in the solvent to form a solution;
- c) performing a chemical reaction in the solution, wherein the enzyme-polymer conjugate catalyzes the chemical reaction;
- and
- d) extracting the enzyme-polymer conjugate from the solution,
- wherein a catalytic activity of the enzyme-polymer conjugate after step d) is at least about 75% of a catalytic activity of the enzyme-polymer conjugate before step c).
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.