Reactive immunization elicits catalytic antibodies for polyester hydrolysis

In the search for biocatalysts for degradation of nonnatural polymers, reactive immunization with haptens 7 and 11 was used to prepare catalytic antibodies capable of cleaving short oligomeric esters, as well as the insoluble polyester 25. These antibodies were found to be highly specific and efficient esterases for oligomers. Triester 24 was preferentially hydrolyzed by an endo-cleavage pathway, however, with a higher molecular weight polymer 25 no site specificity could be observed. Catalytic efficiency of the antibodies towards the insoluble polymer 25 was limited due to physical constraints.