ENHANCED MICROBIAL CELL-LYSIS BY THE USE OF LYSOZYME IMMOBILIZED ON DIFFERENT CARRIERS

Lysozyme was immobilized on chitosan and silica gel by adsorption, on cross-linked polystyrene divinylbenzene matrix (Deacidite KMP) by ionic binding and on non-porous glass beads by covalent attachment to improve the lytic activity towards complex substrates such as Micrococcus luteus. The lysozyme immobilization yields decreased on decreasing the amount of enzyme loaded, whereas the activation yields (defined as percentage ratio of immobilized active enzyme to immobilized enzyme) increased. Chitosan, silica gel, Deacidite KMP and non-porous glass bead preparations showed activation yields of 10 %, 13.20 %, 26.67 % and 12.77 %, respectively.