Magnetic lipase active in organic solvents.

Magnetic lipase (magnetite particles coated with polyethylene glycol-modified lipase) was prepared in two steps: Lipase was coupled with 2,4-bis(O-methoxypolyethylene glycol)-6-chloro-s-triazine, activated PEG2, to obtain polyethylene glycol-modified lipase, PEG-lipase. The PEG-lipase was added to the solution of ferrous (Fe2+)- and ferric(Fe3+)-ions with the pH value adjusted to 8.0-8.5 to obtain magnetic lipase. The magnetic lipase was dispersed in organic solvents such as benzene and 1,1,1-trichloroethane with the particle size of 120 +/- 60 nm. The colloidal solution was very stable and no aggregation occurred even after 5 days. A high enzymic activity (11.6 mumol/min/mg protein) for lauryl laurate synthesis was observed in 1,1,1-trichloroethane. The magnetic lipase was readily recovered from the organic solvents in a magnetic field of 6000 Oe without loss of the enzymic activity.