Poly(ethylene glycol)-modified ligninase enhances pentachlorophenol biodegradation in water-solvent mixtures
- Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (United States). Chemical Technology Div.
Polychlorinated hydrocarbons are prevalent environmental contaminants whose rates of biodegradation are limited by their minimal solubilities in aqueous solutions where the biological reactions take place. In this study, ligninase (LiP) from Phanerochaete chrysosporium was modified by poly(ethylene glycol) to enhance its activity and stability for the biodegradation of pentachlorophenol (PCP) in the presence of acetonitrile (MeCN), a water-miscible solvent. The modified enzyme retained 100% of its activity in aqueous solutions and showed enhanced tolerance against the organic solvent. The activity of the modified enzyme was found to be over twice that of the native enzyme in the presence of 10% (v/v) MeCN. The solubility of PCP was enhanced significantly by the addition of MeCN to aqueous solutions, such that it was over 10-fold more soluble in the presence of 15% (v/v) MeCN than in pure aqueous buffer solution. Capitalizing on the enhanced substrate solubility and the increased activity of the modified enzyme, the catalytic efficiency of the modified LiP in solutions containing 15% MeCN was over 11-fold higher than that of the native enzyme in buffer solutions in unoptimized reactor systems. Continued research both in the use of organic solvents to increase the availability of recalcitrant contaminants and in the modification of enzymes to enhance their activity and stability in such solvents promises to dramatically affect their ability to remediate contaminated sites.
- OSTI ID:
- 6299439
- Journal Information:
- Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Vol. 64:3; ISSN 0006-3592
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
BIODEGRADATION
CELLULASE
CHLORINATED AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
ENZYME ACTIVITY
ORGANIC SOLVENTS
POLYETHYLENE GLYCOLS
REMEDIAL ACTION
ALCOHOLS
AROMATICS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
DECOMPOSITION
ENZYMES
GLYCOLS
GLYCOSYL HYDROLASES
HALOGENATED AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
HYDROLASES
HYDROXY COMPOUNDS
O-GLYCOSYL HYDROLASES
ORGANIC CHLORINE COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC POLYMERS
POLYMERS
PROTEINS
SOLVENTS
540220* - Environment
Terrestrial- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (1990-)