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Updated: Jan 13, 2026

Immobilization of Multi-biocatalysts in Alginate Beads for Cofactor Regeneration and Improved Reusability
Published on: April 22, 2016
Candida rugosa Lipase Bioconjugation to Cellulose Nanocrystals with High Immobilization Efficiency: Comparison with
Laura Spagnuolo1,2, Alessia Lasorsa3, Rosarita D'Orsi1,2
1Dipartimento di Chimica e Chimica Industriale, Università di Pisa, via Giuseppe Moruzzi 13, I-56124 Pisa, Italy.
Abstract:
Nanostructured materials are promising substrates for biocatalyst immobilization. We report a green and sustainable strategy for enzyme immobilization using cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) derived from renewable sources. CNCs offer biodegradability, low toxicity, and high surface area, enabling efficient immobilization of Candida rugosa lipase (CRL). Covalent bioconjugation on TEMPO-oxidized cellulose nanocrystals (TO_CNCs) provides an almost quantitative immobilization yield without releasing toxic byproducts, but with reduced enzymatic activity per mg of immobilized protein. Conversely, nonspecific immobilization on sulfated cellulose nanocrystals (S_CNCs) shows very low immobilization yield but preserves enzyme mobility and slightly enhances activity. The immobilized biocatalysts were characterized by attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy, high-resolution synchrotron X-ray diffractometry (XRD), ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy (UV-vis), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), bicinchoninic acid assay (BCA), solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (ssNMR) spectroscopy, and enzymatic activity measurements. Notably, ssNMR reveals the effectiveness of TO_CNCs in preventing enzyme dispersion.

