Stabilisation of enzymes with polyvinylsaccharides I:: physical stabilisation of horseradish peroxidase

Polyvinylsaccharides are semisynthetic polymers with an all carbon synthetic backbone chain and natural saccharides as side chains. These polymers are prepared by free radical polymerisation of neutral vinylsaccharide monomers, and they can be modified by polymeranalogous reaction which allows the introduction of anionic and cationic groups at a different degree of substitution (DS). The potential for the stabilisation of enzymes by adding this kind of polymer was investigated with horseradish peroxidase (HRP) as model system. Indeed, the enzyme is stabilised by addition of polyvinylsaccharides. Stabilisation activity depends on various parameters such as degree of polymerisation, the various sugars, ionic groups and their degree of substitution in the side chain, but also the polymer concentration plays an important role. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.