Intercalation of papain enzyme into hydrotalcite type layered double hydroxide

Abstract

Intercalation of proteolytic enzyme papain into hydrotalcite type LDH structure was achieved by controlled co-precipitation at pH=9.0 in the presence of papain. Characterization of the MgAl-papain-LDH phase was carried out using X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), elemental analysis, infrared spectroscopy (IR) and thermogravimetry (TG). According to XRD, papain was successfully intercalated. The d-value for the basal spacing of MgAl-papain-LDH was found at ∼5.3 nm. Consequently, original papain (hydrodynamic diameter ∼7.2 nm) attains a compressed conformation during intercalation. Formation of MgAl-papain-LDH was confirmed by elemental analysis and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Under SEM, MgAl-papain-LDH phases appear as nanothin platelets which are intergrown to flower-like aggregates. Steric size and activity of the enzyme was retained after deintercalation from MgAl-LDH framework, as was evidenced by light scattering and UV/vis measurements. Thus, papain is not denatured during intercalation, and LDH is a suitable host structure which can provide a time-controlled release of the biomolecule. © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.