Immobilization of isolated and cellular hydrogenase of D. desulfuricans in radiation-polymerized polyacrylamides

Purified hydrogenase from Desulfovibrio desulfuricans was immobilized either by entrapment or absorption onto porous neutral and charged acrylamide beads. Surface absorption and crosslinking on the beads resulted in a high hydrogenase activity and a good immobilization coefficient compared to the enzyme and whole cells entrapped in the same matrix. Maximum enzyme activity (citrate-phosphate buffer) was shifted to pH 6.5 upon immobilization in contrast to 6.0 for the free enzyme and the range of 6-7 for whole cells. Both the purified enzyme and whole cells were most active when held in neutral matrices. Immobilization improved the temperature stability (65 degrees C) and long term storage (4 degrees C) of the hydrogenase activity of both the purified enzyme and whole cells.