Silicone-lipase composite: Affecting protein-silicone interaction by tailoring the polymeric structure

The effects of water content in the activities of lipase and α-chymotripsin in a protein-silicon composite were investigated. The activation of lipase was attributed to its characteristic feature of undergoing a conformational change in hydrophobic environments. Soaking of silicon in water was found to increase the enzyme activity. Hydrophobic additives such as PEO reduced the beneficial elastomer-protein interaction.