Galactose Conversion Using a Microcapsule Immobilized Multienzyme Cofactor Recycling System

Abstract

Immobilized enzymes, especially microencapsulated enzymes, have been used to replace enzyme deficiency in some forms of inborn errors of metabolism in animals (1,2). Still, the clinical use of immobilized enzymes for inborn errors of metabolism is not yet widely feasible. This is due partly to the fact that in most of the inborn errors of metabolism, complex multienzyme system with cofactor requirements are necessary. The further development of multienzyme systems with cofactor regeneration is thus essential (1,3). Basic studies carried out using microencapsulated multienzyme systems have demonstrated the feasibility of recycling cofactors like ATP, NAD and NADP (1,4,5). Galactosemia is usually due to a deficiency in galactose-1-P-uridyl-transferase or, less frequently, to a deficiency in galactokinase. Since galactokinase is more readily available, the present report is a feasibility study of microencapsulating this enzyme together with a cofactor recycling enzyme system for the conversion of galactose.