Chemical stabilization of enzymes

Abstract This chapter deals with the methods of stabilizing enzymes or extending their life under the conditions of use and storage. Enzymes are biological catalysts that are increasingly used in industrial processes and other applications because of their many advantages. Unlike conventional catalysts, enzymes are easily damaged if the conditions of use differ much relative to those normally tolerated by lifeforms. Stability can be improved by methods such as the formation of chemical crosslinks between different parts of the enzyme molecule to restrict its ability to unfold; chemical modification of the surface functional groups on the enzyme molecule to change the surface hydrophobicity and improve compatibility with a given solvent; and changes in the primary structure of the polypeptide chain to enhance the magnitude of the forces responsible for maintaining the structure of the enzyme. These and other methods of stabilization are discussed.