Reversible, covalent immobilization of enzymes by thiol-disulphide interchange

1. alpha-Amylase and alpha-chymotrypsin have been immobilized by covalent attachment to mercaptohydroxypropyl ether agarose gel. The technique involves two steps: (a) thiolation of the enzymes by methyl 3-mercaptopropioimidate, (b) coupling of the thiolated enzymes to a mixed disulphide derivative of agarose obtained by reacting mercaptohydroxypropyl ether agarose with 2,2'-dipyridyl disulphide. 2. The immobilization technique can be performed so that most of the inherent activity of the enzymes is conserved. However, diffusion limitations and steric factors prevent full manifestation of the immobilized activities. 3. Immobilized alpha-amylase was used in a packed-bed reactor for the continuous hydrolysis of starch. When the enzymically active gel had lost its activity it could be regenerated in situ by reductive uncoupling of the inactive protein and attachment of a new portion of thiolated alpha-amylase.