Covalent Immobilization of Chondrostereum purpureum Endopolygalacturonase on Ferromagnetic Nanoparticles: Catalytic Properties and Biotechnological Application.

Pectinases are widely used in a variety of industrial processes. However, their application is limited by low catalytic processivity, reduced stability, high cost, and poor re-use compatibility. These drawbacks may be overcome by enzyme immobilization with ferromagnetic nanoparticles, which are easily recovered by a magnetic field. In this work, an endopolygalacturonase from Chondrostereum purpureum (EndoPGCp) expressed in Pichia pastoris was immobilized on glutaraldehyde-activated chitosan ferromagnetic nanoparticles (EndoPGCp-MNP) and used to supplement a commercial enzyme cocktail. No significant differences in biochemical and kinetic properties were observed between EndoPGCp-MNP and EndoPGCp, although the EndoPGCp-MNP showed slightly increased thermostability. Cocktail supplementation with EndoPGCp-MNP increased reducing sugar release from orange wastes by 1.8-fold and showed a synergistic effect as compared to the free enzyme. Furthermore, EndoPGCp-MNP retained 65% of the initial activity after 7 cycles of re-use. These properties suggest that EndoPGCp-MNP may find applications in the processing of pectin-rich agroindustrial residues.