Catalytic performance of lignin peroxidase in a novel reverse micelle

To enhance the catalytic activity of lignin peroxidase (LiP) in a reverse micelle, a synthesized two-tail nonionic surfactant N-gluconyl glutamic acid didecyl ester (GGDE) was used to formulate a novel reverse micelle. Based on the LiP catalyzed oxidation of veratryl alcohol (VA) in this novel GGDE/TritonX-100–cyclohexane–H2O reverse micelle, the effects of the size of the reverse micelle, the buffer pH, and the concentration of H2O2 on the catalytic activity of LiP were investigated. Under the optimized conditions, the catalytic efficiency of LiP in the GGDE/TritonX-100 reverse micelle was 40 times higher than that in the AOT reverse micelle. The full expression of catalytic activity of LiP in this medium was mainly due to the lack of electrostatic interaction between LiP and the head group of GGDE and TritonX-100 and to the size fit between LiP and the inner water cavity of the reverse micelle.