Immobilized microbial cells

Claim 2

A process for immobilizing microbial cells comprising contacting said cells with a polyfunctional cross-linking reagent, contacting the so-treated cells in aqueous medium with a water-insoluble particulate polymer and continuing said contacting until said cells are covalently bonded to said polymer, said polymer resulting from polymerization, in the presence of a cross-linking monomer and polymerization initiator, of a monomer of the formula: ##EQU2## wherein R 1 = hydrogen, methyl or chloro, and ##SPC2## wherein R 2 = halo, azido, 2,3-epoxypropoxy, 2,3-epithiopropoxy, N-(2,3-epoxypropyl)amino, N-[(p-diazonium chloride)phenyl]amino, acryloyloxy, lower alkoxy carbonyloxy, or benzenesulfonyloxy, X = oxygen or NR 3 where R 3 is hydrogen or alkyl of from 1 to 6 carbons, Y = alkylene containing 2 or 3 carbons, n = an integer of from 1 to 2, Z = haloacetyl, 2-(4,6-dichloro)-s-triazinyl, p-toluenesulfonyl, p-(halomethyl)benzoyl, or cyano, and X' = x with the proviso that when Z is p-toluenesulfonyl, X' is oxygen.

Claim 3

The process of claim 1 wherein said polyfunctional cross-linking reagent is a reagent which cross-links amino groups of the membranes of said cells,

Claim 4

The process of claim 2 wherein said reagent is glutaraldehyde.

Claim 5

A composition containing immobilized microbial cells prepared by the process of claim 1.

Claim 6

The composition of claim 4 wherein R 2 is 2,3-eoxypropoxy.

Claim 7

The composition of claim 4 wherein Z is haloacetyl.

Claim 8

The composition of claim 4 wherein said cells contain the enzyme penicillin acylase.

Claim 9

The composition of claim 4 wherein said cells contain the enzyme glucose isomerase.

Claim 10

A process for immobilizing microbial cells comprising contacting said cells with a polyfunctional cross-linking reagent, contacting the so-treated cells in aqueous medium with a water-insoluble polymerizable ethylenically unsaturated monomer having amino-reacting groups, continuing said contacting until said cells are covalently bonded to said monomer and subsequently polymerizing said monomer in the presence of a cross-linking monomer and polymerization initiator, said ethylenically unsaturated monomer being of the formula: ##EQU3## wherein R 1 = hydrogen, methyl or chloro, and ##SPC3## wherein R 2 = halo, azido, 2,3-epoxypropoxy, 2,3-epithiopropoxy, N-(2,3-epoxypropyl)amino, N-[(p-diazonium chloride)phenyl]amino, acryloyloxy. lower alkoxy carbonyloxy, or benzenesulfonyloxy, X = oxygen or NR 3 where R 3 is hydrogen or alkyl of from 1 to 6 carbons, Y = alkylene containing 2 or 3 carbons, n = an integer of from 1 to 2, Z = haloacetyl, 2-(4,6-dichloro)-s-triazinyl, p-toluenesulfonyl, p-(halomethyl)benzoyl, or cyano, and X' = x with the proviso that when Z is p-toluenesulfonyl, X' is oxygen.

Claim 11

A process for immobilizing microbial cells comprising contacting said cells with a polyfunctional cross-linking reagent, contacting the so-treated cells in aqueous medium with a water-insoluble polymerizable ethylenically unsaturated monomer having amino-reacting groups, continuing said contacting until said cells are covalently bonded to said monomer and subsequently polymerizing said monomer in the presence of a cross-linking monomer and polymerization initiator, said ethylenically unsaturated monomer being of the formula: ##EQU3## wherein R 1 = hydrogen, methyl or chloro, and ##SPC3## wherein R 2 = halo, azido, 2,3-epoxypropoxy, 2,3-epithiopropoxy, N-(2,3-epoxypropyl)amino, N-[(p-diazonium chloride)phenyl]amino, acryloyloxy. lower alkoxy carbonyloxy, or benzenesulfonyloxy, X = oxygen or NR 3 where R 3 is hydrogen or alkyl of from 1 to 6 carbons, Y = alkylene containing 2 or 3 carbons, n = an integer of from 1 to 2, Z = haloacetyl, 2-(4,6-dichloro)-s-triazinyl, p-toluenesulfonyl, p-(halomethyl)benzoyl, or cyano, and X' = x with the proviso that when Z is p-toluenesulfonyl, X' is oxygen.

Claim 12

The process of claim 9 wherein said polyfunctional cross-linking reagent is a reagent which cross-links amino groups of the membranes of said cells.

Claim 13

The process of claim 10 wherein said reagent is glutaraldehyde.

Claim 14

A composition containing immobilized microbial cells prepared by the process of claim 9.

Claim 15

The composition of claim 12 wherein R 2 is 2,3-epoxypropoxy.

Claim 16

The composition of claim 12 wherein Z is haloacetyl.

Claim 17

The composition of claim 12 wherein said cells contain the enzyme penicillin acylase.

Claim 18

The composition of claim 12 wherein said cells contain the enzyme glucose isomerase.

Claim 19

The composition of claim 12 wherein said cells contain the enzyme aspartate ammonia-lyase.

Claim 20

A process for immobilizing microbial cells comprising the steps of contacting said cells in aqueous medium with glutaraldehyde, subsequently contacting said cells in aqueous medium with glycidyl methacrylate monomer, continuing said contacting until said cells are covalently bonded to said monomer; and subsequently polymerizing said monomer in aqueous medium in the presence of N,N'-methylenebisacrylamide monomer and dimethylaminopropionitrile-ammonium persulfate.

Claim 21

A process for immobilizing microbial cells comprising the steps of contacting said cells in aqueous medium with glutaraldehyde, subsequently contacting said cells in aqueous medium with glycidyl methacrylate monomer, continuing said contacting until said cells are covalently bonded to said monomer; and subsequently polymerizing said monomer in aqueous medium in the presence of N,N'-methylenebisacrylamide monomer and dimethylaminopropionitrile-ammonium persulfate.