Characteristics of proteinaceous additives in stabilizing enzymes during freeze-thawing and -drying

Protein-stabilizing characteristics of sixteen proteins during freeze-thawing and freeze-drying were investigated. Five enzymes, each with different instabilities against freezing and dehydration, were employed as the protein to be stabilized. Proteinaceous additives generally resulted in greater enzyme stabilization during freeze-thawing than sugars while the degree of stabilization for basic lysozyme and protamine were inferior to that of neutral and acidic proteins. Freeze-drying-induced inactivation of enzyme was also reduced by the presence of a proteinaceous additive, the extent of which was lower than that for a sugar. In both freeze thawing and freeze drying, the enzymes stabilization by the proteinaceous additive increased with increasing additive concentration. The enhancement of enzyme inactivation caused by pH change was also reduced in the presence of proteinaceous additives. The combined use of a sugar such as sucrose and dextran tended to increase the stabilizing effect of the proteinaceous additive.