Production of γ-Aminobutyric Acid Using Immobilized Glutamate Decarboxylase from Lactobacillus plantarum

Abstract
The glutamate decarboxylase gene (gadB) from Lactobacillus plantarum WCFS1 was cloned and expressed as an N-terminal hexa-histidine-tagged fusion protein in Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3) as the host strain. Purified glutamate decarboxylase (GAD) was immobilized onto porous silica beads by covalent coupling. The pH dependence of activity and stability of the immobilized GAD was significantly altered, when compared to those of the free enzyme. Immobilized GAD was stable in the range of pH 3.5 to 6.0. The resulting packed-bed reactor produced 41.7 g of γ-aminobutyric acid/l·h at 45oC.