Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 10, 2026

Low Molecular Weight Protein Enrichment on Mesoporous Silica Thin Films for Biomarker Discovery
Published on: April 17, 2012
Enzyme Immobilization in Mesoporous Silica for Enhancement of Thermostability
Shun-Ichi Matsuura1, Manami Chiba1, Tatsuo Tsunoda1
1Research Institute for Chemical Process Technology, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), 4-2-1 Nigatake, Miyagino-ku, Sendai, Miyagi 983-8551, Japan.
Abstract:
Direct enzyme immobilization by encapsulation in the pores of mesoporous silica particles enhances protein thermal and chemical stability. In this study, we investigated the effect of pore size on the thermostability and catalytic activity of Escherichia coli glutaminase YbaS encapsulated under high temperature conditions in two SBA-type mesoporous silicas: SBA5.4 and SBA10.6 with pore diameters of 5.4 and 10.6 nm, respectively. The changes in enzyme conformation under high temperature conditions were assessed using PSA, a benzophenoxazine-based fluorescent dye that is sensitive to denatured aggregated proteins. The results showed that YbaS adsorption to SBA10.6 was higher than that to SBA5.4 and that SBA10.6-encapsulated YbaS was more resistant to heat treatment and maintained higher conformational stability than SBA5.4-encapsulated or free enzyme. Moreover, the heat-treated YbaS-SBA10.6 composite demonstrated high catalytic activity in glutamine hydrolysis. Thus, enzyme encapsulation in suitable silica mesopores can prevent heat-induced denaturation and subsequent aggregation of the enzyme.
Related Concept Videos
Enzymes
Enzyme deficiencies can often translate into life-threatening diseases. For example, a genetic abnormality resulting in the deficiency of the enzyme G6PD...
Enzyme Kinetics
Scientists typically study enzyme kinetics with a fixed amount of enzyme in the controlled environment of a test tube. When more reactant, or substrate, is...
Enzyme-linked Receptors
Neurotrophin (NT) receptors are a family of RTKs, including trkA, trkB, and trkC (tropomyosin-related kinase) receptors. TrkA is specific for nerve growth factor (NGF), neurotrophin-6, and neurotrophin-7. TrkB binds...
Silica Gel Column Chromatography: Overview
Polar components tend to bind strongly to the silica gel, causing them to move slowly through the column. In contrast, nonpolar compounds...
Self-Evaluation: Self-Enhancement and Self-Verification
Enzyme Inhibition

