EUPERGIT oxirane acrylic beads: How to make enzymes fit for biocatalysis

Enzyme recycling is essential for the development of large-scale enzyme-catalyzed biotransformations. Recycling is most convenient using enzymes immobilized on solid supports. Although immobilization on solid supports has been pursued since the 1950s, there are no general rules for selecting the best support for a given application. The commercial products EUPERGIT C and EUPERGIT C 250 L have been used for a wide variety of different enzymes and reactions. The present review draws up a comprehensive application profile of both EUPERGIT carriers. The reader gets (a) examples of biotransformations using oxidoreductases, transferases, hydrolases and lyases immobilized on EUPERGIT; (b) key data of the biotransformations, i.e., scale, yield, purity, and enantiomeric excess; (c) efficiency of the immobilization (% immobilized activity); (d) where appropriate, operational stability of the immobilized enzyme preparations, that is, number of cycles, residual activity; (e) specific advantages of the immobilized enzyme over the free enzyme apart from enzyme recycling, for example, improved stability and selectivity. Thus, the present review can serve as a guideline when selecting a resin for enzyme immobilization. Literature published between 1985 and 2000 is covered.