Abstract
Purification of glucose isomerase by its partitioning in a PEG‐salt aqueous two‐phase system (ATPS) in the presence of PEG derivatives has been studied. Selective partitioning of the proteins was observed towards the PEG phase containing PEG‐benzoate and PEG‐palmitate, enriching glucose isomerase in the salt phase. Cross‐current extraction in 4 stages in the presence of PEG‐palmitate gave an enrichment factor of ∼5 for the enzyme. After initial purification with ATPS, glucose isomerase was immobilized on cross‐linked chitosan beads. The immobilized enzyme was stable over a wider pH range (5.2–9.0) and showed an optimum pH of 6.5