Effect of immobilization on Graphene Oxides in lipases structure, activity, and interfacial activation

• Grant number: 22/07288-9
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Doctorate (Direct)
• Start date: September 01, 2023
• End date: August 23, 2024
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Chemical Engineering - Chemical Process Industries
• Principal Investigator: Marcus Bruno Soares Forte
• Grantee: Francisco Lucas Chaves Almeida
• Supervisor: John Woodley
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Engenharia de Alimentos (FEA). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: Technical University of Denmark (DTU), Denmark
• Associated to the scholarship: 19/03399-8 - Immobilization of lipase by jet cutter technique and biodiesel production using the biocatalyst in tubular reactors, BP.DD

Abstract

Lipase is a group of enzymes widely used, which shows a characteristic of interfacial activation. This activation is directed related to lipase activity and may be affected by several factors, such as immobilization. However, few studies in the literature aim immobilization process, lipase secondary structure and interfacial activation. Due to that, this project aims to evaluate the effect of immobilization on graphene oxides in lipase structure, activity, and interfacial activation. Non-modified graphenes and modified ones with glutaraldehyde, tryton-X100will be used to lipase immobilization. Thus, the process will be characterized based on the amount of protein bonded to support, immobilization yield and recovery activity. Then, the lipase secondary structure will be studied by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), steady-state fluorescence spectroscopy, and circular dichroism spectroscopy. Hence, it is expected with this project to understand the relation among enzyme immobilization, lipase interfacial activation and secondary structure of the lipase, focusing to achieve the better process for a biocatalyst with high activity. In addition, it is expected to obtain results able to be published in high-factor scientific journals. (AU)