Zhang_2025_Int.J.Biol.Macromol__143494

A hollow macroporous chitin carrier (HMCC) was developed as a high-efficiency platform for lipase immobilization, offering superior specific surface area, biocompatibility, and protein affinity. Using a NaOH/urea/water treatment system, chitin was dissolved and processed into HMCC, leveraging its amphiphilic properties to achieve remarkable interfacial performance. Compared to the conventional chitin carrier (~0.34 mg/g), HMCC-OA exhibited a highest 3.39-fold increase in protein loading capacity. Immobilization of Geobacillus thermocatenulatus lipase 2 (GTL2) on HMCC-OA yielded a hydrolytic activity of 145.95 U/mg, surpassing free GTL2 by 1.14-fold. In addition, the HMCC demonstrated exceptional versatility by supporting various commercial lipases while showcasing optimal hydrolytic efficiency with GTL2. Notably, GTL2 bioreactor mitigated thermal inactivation at elevated temperatures (up to 90 degreesC), retained high activity across short- to medium-chain fatty acids (C(4), C(8), C(10)), and maintained significant residual activity (51.79 U/mg) after 10 recycling cycles. These results highlight the innovative design and robust performance of HMCC as a sustainable carrier for lipase bioreactor, enabling enhanced biocatalytic performance demanding thermal stability and interfacial activity.