Influence of matrix porosity on the immobilization of penicillin acylase by radiation-induced polymerization

Abstract Penicillin acylase was immobilized by low temperature radiation-induced polymerization into polymer matrices obtained from monomers of different hydrophilicities, at various ratios of monomer to enzyme solution and at different polymerization conversions. It was found that the penicillin acylase retention (60–85% of the starting enzyme) is independent of the monomer used in thepolymerization, of the polymerization conversion and of the porosity of the polymer matrix. On the other hand, the penicillin acylase retention strongly depends on the presence in the irradiation mixture of the hydrophobic crosslinking agent, trimethylolpropane trimethacrylate, even in low amounts. The data suggest that the enzyme is bound to the polymer matrix by hydrophobic interactions through crosslinking agent molecules.