Preparation of lipase-coated, stabilized, hydrophobic magnetic particles for reversible conjugation of biomacromolecules.

This Communication presents the development of a novel strategy for the easy conjugation of biomolecules to hydrophobic magnetic microparticles via reversible coating with previously functionalized lipase molecules. First, the ability of lipase to be strongly adsorbed onto hydrophobic surfaces was exploited for the stabilization of microparticles in aqueous medium by the creation of a hydrophilic surface. Second, the surface amino acids of lipase can be tailored to suit biomolecule conjugation. This approach has been demonstrated by amino-epoxy activation of lipase, enabling the conjugation of different biomolecules to the magnetic particle's surface. For example, it was possible to immobilize 70% of Escherichia coli proteins on the recovered particles. Furthermore, this strategy could be extended to other lipase chemical modification protocols, enabling fine control of biomolecule coupling. These conjugation techniques constitute a modular methodology that also permits the recycling of the magnetic carrier following use.