ERIC Number: EJ920086
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2010-Sep
Pages: 3
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0021-9584
EISSN: N/A
Biocatalysis with Sol-Gel Encapsulated Acid Phosphatase
Kulkarni, Suhasini; Tran, Vu; Ho, Maggie K.-M.; Phan, Chieu; Chin, Elizabeth; Wemmer, Zeke; Sommerhalter, Monika
Journal of Chemical Education, v87 n9 p958-960 Sep 2010
This experiment was performed in an upper-level undergraduate biochemistry laboratory course. Students learned how to immobilize an enzyme in a sol-gel matrix and how to perform and evaluate enzyme-activity measurements. The enzyme acid phosphatase (APase) from wheat germ was encapsulated in sol-gel beads that were prepared from the precursor molecule tetramethoxysilane. The enzymatic activities of free and immobilized APase were measured with a colorimetric assay that monitors the formation of "p"-nitrophenolate from "p"-nitrophenylphosphate. Students critically assessed the advantages and disadvantages of sol-gel based enzyme immobilization by investigating the catalytic performance, the enzyme retention, and the reuse capability of the APase sol-gel beads. This experiment exposed students to thoughts and techniques that are important for the biotechnological application of enzymes. (Contains 2 notes, 1 figure, and 2 schemes.)
Descriptors: Biochemistry, Laboratory Experiments, Science Experiments, Undergraduate Students, College Science, Science Instruction, Science Activities
Division of Chemical Education, Inc and ACS Publications Division of the American Chemical Society. 1155 Sixteenth Street NW, Washington, DC 20036. Tel: 800-227-5558; Tel: 202-872-4600; e-mail: eic@jce.acs.org; Web site: http://pubs.acs.org/jchemeduc
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A