Cotton, enzyme immobilization

Immobilization. The fixing property of PEIs has previously been discussed. Another appHcation of this property is enzyme immobilization (419). Enzymes can be bound by reactive compounds, eg, isothiocyanate (420) to the PEI skeleton, or immobilized on soHd supports, eg, cotton by adhesion with the aid of PEIs. In every case, fixing considerably simplifies the performance of enzyme-catalyzed reactions, thus faciHtating preparative work. This technique has been appHed to glutaraldehyde-sensitive enzymes (421), a-glucose transferase (422), and pectin lyase, pectin esterase, and endopolygalacturonase (423). 

Scheme 1. Enzyme immobilization mechanism on tosylated cotton...

Antimicrobial activity of cotton fabrics containing immobilized enzymes, 104,1754-1761. 

Surface grafts. This is done by contacting (but not swelling) a preformed polymer which may be activated by oxidation or irradiation, with a second monomer or polymer. This is used for surface-treating fibres for wash-and-wear applications, e.g. urea/formaldehyde on to cotton and rayon and also for immobilizing enzymes on to polymers. 

The potential to use bioactive fibers with selective mzymatic propaties through grafting or covalent attachment of the enzyme on the surfece of fibrous materials has been attempted. Immobilization of alpha-amylase (61) and glucose oxidase (62) have been reported on a variety of fiibrics. Edwards et al. (63) have recmtly cempared the antimicrobial activity of glycine-linked lysozyme on cotton cellulose fabrics (Fig. 7). The aizyme-cellulose conjugates were shown be more effective in the lysis of gram-positive bacteria than freely soluble lysozyme. 

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