Immobilization of Escherichia coli cells using polyethyleneimine-coated porous support particles for l-aspartic acid production

Escherichia coli cells were efficiently immobilized in reticulated polyvinyl formal resin biomass support particles (BSPs) that had been simply autoclaved with a solution of a cationic polymer such as polyethyleneimine. When the immobilized E. coli cells containing aspartase were used as whole cell biocatalyst for l-aspartic acid production, they showed specific aspartase activity comparable to that of non-immobilized cells.