Enzyme production of d-gluconic acid and glucose oxidase: successful tales of cascade reactions

Abstract

This review mainly focuses on the use of glucose oxidase in the production of D-gluconic acid, which is a reactant of undoubtable interest in different industrial areas. The enzyme has been used in numerous instances as a model reaction to study the problems of oxygen supply in bioreactors. One of the main topics in this review is the problem of the generated side product, hydrogen peroxide, as it is an enzyme-inactivating reagent. Different ways to remove hydrogen peroxide have been used, such as metal catalysts and use of whole cells; however, the preferred method is the coupling glucose oxidase with catalase. The different possibilities of combining these enzymes have been discussed (use of free enzymes, independently immobilized enzymes or co-immobilized enzymes). Curiously, some studies propose the addition of hydrogen peroxide to this co-immobilized enzyme system to produce oxygen in situ. Other cascade reactions directed toward the production of gluconic acid from polymeric substrates will be presented; these will mainly involve the transformation of polysaccharides (amylases, cellulases, etc.) but will not be limited to those (e.g., gluconolactonase). In fact, glucose oxidase is perhaps one of most successful enzymes, and it is involved in a wide range of cascade reactions. Finally, other applications of the enzyme have been reviewed, always based on the production of D-gluconic acid, which produces a decrease in the pH, a decrease in the oxygen availability or the production of hydrogen peroxide; in many instances, cascade reactions are also utilized. Thus, this review presents many different cascade reactions and discusses the advantages/drawbacks of the use of co-immobilized enzymes.