In the last decade, new trends for enzyme attachment to solid carriers have emerged in an attempt to rationalize the classical methods for enzyme immobilization. In silico analysis is becoming a powerful tool to predict the orientation of the enzyme covalently-attached to the carrier or the protein regions involved in the adsorption to the support. Significantly, an array of algorithms has been established for the Rational Design of Immobilized Derivatives (RDID), which comprises both the protein size and the textural properties of the support. Ordered mesoporous materials open a challenging pathway to tailor immobilized enzymes with high volumetric activity and minimum lixiviation. In addition, fluorescence confocal microscopy is being successfully employed to understand the diffusional restrictions and the distribution of biomolecules within the support.

Lipopolysaccharides (LPSs) are the major molecular component of the outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria. This molecule is recognized as a sign of bacterial infection, responsible for the development of local inflammatory response and, in extreme cases, septic shock. Unfortunately, despite substantial advances in the pathophysiology of sepsis, there is no efficacious therapy against this syndrome yet. As a consequence, septic shock syndrome continues to increase, reaching mortality rates over 50% in some cases. Even though many preclinical studies and clinical trials have been conducted, there is no Food and Drug Administration-approved drug yet that interacts directly against LPS. Cationic host-defense peptides (HDPs) could be an alternative solution since they possess both antimicrobial and antiseptic properties. HDPs are small, positively charged peptides which are evolutionarily conserved components of the innate immune response. In fact, binding to diverse chemotypes of LPS and inhibition of LPS-induced pro-inflammatory cytokines from macrophages have been demonstrated for different HDPs. Curiously, none of them have been isolated by their affinity to LPS. A diversity of supports could be useful for such biological interaction and suitable for isolating HDPs that recognize LPS. This approach could expand the rational search for anti-LPS HDPs.

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Lipases are very important enzymes having a role in fat digestion and lipid metabolism in marine animals, plants, and microorganisms. The methods for measuring lipase and phospholipase activity have been applied in several studies; however, considering that lipases are water-soluble molecules and their substrates are generally water-insoluble molecules, several steps are required for measuring their digestion products. After a general review of the main type of methods used in marine lipase studies, and experimental procedures, a proposal of new or improved methods is described in order to facilitate the lipase activity measurements in marine organisms.

Our novel strategy for the rational design of immobilized derivatives (RDID) is directed to predict the behavior of the protein immobilized derivative before its synthesis, by the usage of mathematic algorithms and bioinformatics tools. However, this approach needs to be validated for each target enzyme. The objective of this work was to validate the RDID strategy for covalent immobilization of the enzyme laccase from Trametes maxima MUCL 44155 on glyoxyl‐ and monoaminoethyl‐N‐aminoethyl (MANA)‐Sepharose CL 4B supports. Protein surface clusters, more probable configurations of the protein–supports systems at immobilization pHs, immobilized enzyme activity, and protein load were predicted by RDID1.0 software. Afterward, immobilization was performed and predictions were experimentally confirmed. As a result, the laccase‐MANA‐Sepharose CL 4B immobilized derivative is better than laccase‐glyoxyl‐Sepharose CL 4B in predicted immobilized derivative activity (63.6% vs. 29.5%). Activity prediction was confirmed by an experimentally expressed enzymatic activity of 68%, using 2,6‐dimethoxyphenol as substrate. Experimental maximum protein load matches the estimated value (11.2 ± 1.3 vs. 12.1 protein mg/support mL). The laccase‐MANA‐Sepharose CL 4B biocatalyst has a high specificity for the acid blue 62 colorant. The results obtained in this work suggest the possibility of using this biocatalyst for wastewater treatment.