Production of NADP by immobilized cells with NAD kinase

By the radiation-copolymerization method with polyethylene glycoldimethacrylate (PGD) as a main polymerizable reagent, microbial cells of Brevibacterium ammoniagenes were immobilized with high specific activity of NAD kinase and high mechanical strength. The reagents used for the immobilization such as PGD, polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), and N,N'-methylenebisacrylamide (Bis) did not inversely affect the enzyme activity. Freezing and irradiation treatment of the cell-reagent solution did not inactivate the enzyme either, but longer freezing time or a lower irradiation dose (less than 400 krad) resulted in the unsatisfactory mechanical strength of the immobilized cells. Almost all of NAD and ATP consumed were converted into NADP within three hours reaction time. The drum reactor was found to be ideal for the reaction of immobilized cells, since it gave little mechanical stress to the immobilized cells for the effective mixing of the cells and the substrates. The immobilized cells were subjected to three hours reaction repeatedly for 30 times without any activity loss.