Preparation and properties of amphipathic enzyme-polymer conjugates

Amphipathic enzyme-polymer conjugates were prepared by reaction of hydrophilic enzymes with an anhydride polymer partially substituted with pendant hydrophobic groups. The products formed non-covalent aggregates of high molecular weight, dissociable by non-ionic detergents and urea and subject to additional aggregation at high ionic strength. Oil-in-water emulsions formed in the presence of such conjugates were shown to possess enzyme activity associated with the surface of the water-immiscible liquid. Fluorochrome labelling of conjugates showed that binding occurred at the surface of solvent droplets, and the conjugates were also found to aggregate liposomes.