A Microheterogeneous Medium for Chemical (Enzymic) Reactions Based on a Colloidal Solution of Water in an Organic Solvent

The structure and properties of inverted surfactant micelles in non-polar solvents are examined. The methods for the solubilisation of proteins (enzymes) in such systems and the molecular mechanisms of solubilisation are characterised. The kinetics of chemical enzymic reactions in inverted micelle systems are discussed. The factors influencing the catalytic activity and substrate specificity of the solubilised enzymes are analysed. The characteristic features of the shift of the chemical equilibrium in inverted micelle systems are considered and the prospects for the employment of such systems in fundamental research (particularly in the modelling of the structure and functions of biological membranes) and for the solution of applied problems in chemistry are discussed.
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