Abstract

Optimizing the liquid reaction phase holds significant potential for enhancing the efficiency of biocatalytic processes since it determines reaction equilibrium and kinetics. This study investigates the influence of the addition of deep eutectic solvents on the stability and activity of alpha-chymotrypsin, a proteolytic enzyme with industrial relevance. Deep eutectic solvents, composed of choline chloride or betaine mixed with glycerol or sorbitol, were added in the reaction phase at various concentrations. Experimental techniques, including kinetic and fluorometry, were employed to assess the alpha-chymotrypsin activity, thermal stability, and unfolding reversibility. Atomistic molecular dynamics simulations were also conducted to assess the interactions and provide molecular-level insights between alpha-chymotrypsin and the solvent. The results showed that among all studied mixtures, adding choline chloride + sorbitol improved thermal stability up to 18 degrees C and reaction kinetic efficiency up to two-fold upon adding choline chloride + glycerol. Notably, the choline chloride + sorbitol system exhibited the most substantial stabilization effect, attributed to the surface preferential accumulation of sorbitol, as corroborated by the computational analyses. This work highlights the potential of tailoring liquid reaction phase of alpha-chymotrypsin catalyzed reaction using neoteric solvents such as deep eutectic solvents to enhance alpha-chymotrypsin performance and stability in industrial applications.