Master thesis / Enzymatic synthesis of oligosaccharides in a novel enzyme membrane reactor

Background:
On the way to sustainable production of complex chemical compounds, enzymes as highly selective catalysts active under mild conditions enable the use of more efficient and environmentally friendly reaction pathways.
To achieve high conversion rates and high space-time yields in such processes, enzymes can be immobilised and used in flow reactors in a second step. Among the different types of flow reactors, enzyme membrane reactors (EMR) offer the possibility to retain immobilisate as well as substrate and product by choosing suitable membranes, while inhibiting by-products are removed in-situ.  
In this work, oligosaccharides are to be synthesised enzymatically using immobilised Leloir glycosyltranferases in a novel EMR. The first step is to characterise the enzyme and immobilise it on carrier particles using conventional methods. In a second step, the synthesis will be carried out continuously in flow. In order to better assess the operating conditions in advance, the reactor behaviour is to be modelled and predicted using COMSOL. Inhibiting by-products are to be removed in-situ through use in the EMR.

Task:
The master thesis aims to characterise and immobilise a Leloir glycosyltransferase for use in an enzyme membrane reactor. The work packages include:

- Immobilisation of the enzymes involved in the reaction by covalent or coordinative binding.
- Investigation of the activity and stability of the immobilisates
- Application of the enzyme immobilisates in a flow reactor
- Modelling and prediction of the reactor behaviour using COMSOL simulations.

Supervision:
In addition to the scientific supervision by Prof. Dr.-Ing. Matthias Franzreb, Mr./Mrs. is supported in the practical execution of the work by M. Sc. Ulrich Thiele.  
Contact:
Ulrich.thiele@kit.edu