Self-sufficient biocatalysts constructed using chitin-based microspheres

The concomitant recycling of enzymes and co-factors is a big challenge in biocatalysis. In this study, co-immobilization of the enzyme and the co-factor pyridoxal 5′-phosphate was achieved using chitin-based microspheres as the support. Chitin/chitosan composite microspheres were prepared and then modified with polyethyleneimine. Three pyridoxal 5′-phosphate-independent enzymes were used to demonstrate that the self-sufficient biocatalysts based on chitin/chitosan composite microspheres and polyethyleneimine modified microspheres displayed good generalizability for high recycling efficiency of both enzyme and pyridoxal 5′-phosphate. Furthermore, the self-sufficient biocatalysts were applied in the continuous flow production of cadaverine and maintained good continuous catalysis without the exogenous addition of pyridoxal 5′-phosphate, suggesting that this co-immobilization platform shows promise for application in industrial biocatalysis.