Biocatalytic action of proteases in ionic liquids: Improvements on their enzymatic activity, thermal stability and kinetic parameters

Abstract

This study evaluated the effect of the addition of the following ionic liquids (IL): choline chloride (CC), tetramethylammonium bromide (TB) and 1‑ethyl‑3‑methylimidazolium bromide (EM), on some biochemical properties including enzymatic activity and different kinetic parameters of commercial proteases. The enzyme-IL combinations that showed the highest increases in enzyme activities were as follows: CC (0.5mM) and Neutrase® 0.8L; CC (5mM) and Flavourzyme® 500L; TB (2000mM) and Alcalase® 2.4L, with relative increases of 20, 15 and 150% in protease activities, respectively, compared to the control assays. The combination TB and Alcalase® 2.4L showed a reduction of 50% of the activation energy (E_a), an increase of the relation V_max/K_m of 35% and a 16-fold rise in the values of t_1/2, and D. Neutrase® 0.8L combined with CC showed an increase of 20% in the relation V_max/K_m. The combination Flavourzyme® 500L and CC presented a 20% higher value of the relation V_max/K_m and a 2-fold increase in the values of t_1/2 and D compared to the control assay. In summary, the most positive effects observed in this study included proteases with improved activity and stability properties and a greater affinity for the substrate.

Keywords: Biochemical properties; Ionic liquids; Proteases.