CONTROLLED DISSOLUTION CROSS-LINKED PROTEIN CRYSTALS

摘要

The present invention relates to cross-linked protein crystals characterized by the ability to change from insoluble and stable form to soluble and active form upon a change in the environment of said crystals, said change being selected from the group consisting of change in temperature, change in pH, change in chemical composition, change from concentrate to dilute form, change in oxidation-reduction potential of the solution, change in the incident radiation, change in transition metal concentration, change in fluoride concentration, change in free radical concentration, change in metal chelater concentration, change in shear force acting upon the crystals and combinations thereof. According to one embodiment of this invention, such cross-linked protein crystals are capable of releasing their protein activity at a controlled rate. This invention also provides methods for producing such cross-linked protein crystals, methods using them for protein delivery and methods using them in cleaning agents, including detergents, pharmaceutical compositions, vaccines, personal care compositions, including cosmetics, veterinary compositions, foods, feeds, diagnostics and formulations for decontamination.