Metal Affinity Immobilization of the Processive Endoglucanase EG5C-1 from Bacillus subtilis on a Recyclable pH-Responsive Polymer

Establishing a suitable immobilization strategy to improve the accessibility of immobilized cellulase for insoluble cellulose and subsequently recover the enzyme from the remaining substrate is crucial to promote the industrialization of biofuels. Here, using iminodiacetic acid (IDA) and Ni2+ ions, a novel metal-chelated copolymer of methacrylic acid and methyl methacrylate was prepared for the immobilization of His-tagged processive endoglucanase EG5C-1 via affinity interaction between polyhistidine tag and Ni2+. The optimum loading capacity of the functionalized polymer (Eud-IDA-Ni2+) for EG5C-1 was about 280 mg/g, where more than 80% of the activity was recovered. Immobilized EG5C-1 exhibited improved thermal and pH stability and better reusability than the free one, and after five cycles of usage, the hydrolysis productivity remained above 70% of the initial value. The Eud-IDA-Ni2+/EG5C-1 biocomposite displayed reversibly soluble-insoluble characteristics with pH change, which was in the soluble state during the enzyme reaction process but could be recovered in an insoluble form by lowering the pH after the reaction. Thus, the yield obtained from the hydrolysis of an insoluble phosphoric acid-swollen cellulose substrate was similar for the free and immobilized form of EG5C-1. Our combined results suggested that a metal-ion-chelated, pH-responsive polymer had the potential for His-tagged cellulase immobilization to improve both the operational efficiency and economic benefit of the cellulosic biorefinery industry.