Novozym 435: the perfect lipase immobilized biocatalyst?

CLAUDIA ORTIZ; FERREIRA MARÍA LUJÁN; OVEIMAR BARBOSA; JOSÉ S. DOS SANTOS; RAFAEL RODRIGUES; ANGEL BERENGUER MURCIA; LAURA E. BRIAND; ROBERTO FERNÁNDEZ LAFUENTE

Catalysis Science & Technology

Royal Society of Chemistry

Lugar: CAmbridge; Año: 2019 vol. 9 p. 2380 - 2420

Novozym 435 (N435) is a commercially available immobilized lipase produced by Novozymes. It is basedon immobilization via interfacial activation of lipase B from Candida antarctica on a resin, Lewatit VP OC1600. This resin is a macroporous support formed by polyIJmethyl methacrylate) crosslinked with divinylbenzene.N435 is perhaps the most widely used commercial biocatalyst in both academy and industry.Here, we review some of the success stories of N435 (in chemistry, energy and lipid manipulation), but wefocus on some of the problems that the use of this biocatalyst may generate. Some of these problems arejust based on the mechanism of immobilization (interfacial activation) that may facilitate enzyme desorptionunder certain conditions. Other problems are specific to the support: mechanical fragility, moderatehydrophilicity that permits the accumulation of hydrophilic compounds (e.g., water or glycerin) and themost critical one, support dissolution in some organic media. Finally, some solutions (N435 coating withsilicone, enzyme physical or chemical crosslinking, and use of alternative supports) are proposed. However,the N435 history, even with these problems, may continue in the coming future due to its very good propertiesif some simpler alternative biocatalysts are not developed.