(582cu) Engineering Enzymes With Nanostructures

Enzymatic catalysis has the advantage over chemical synthesis of high enantio- and regioselectivity, which provides enormous opportunities to use enzyme-catalyzed reactions to synthesize molecules, particularly those with complex structures such as fine chemicals and pharmaceutical intermediates. We focus on the strategy of utilizing nanostructured materials to improve the performance of enzymes for biocatalysis applications.[1,2] Three examples of nanostructured enzyme catalysts will be introduced in this talk with their applications in enzymatic synthesis of therapeutic molecules: 1) A general method for creating hybrid enzyme-inorganic nanoflowers in which the enzyme has markedly enhanced activity and stability, making such enzyme nanoflowers suitable for catalyzing important chemical transformations;[3,4] 2) A type of soluble and recyclable enzyme-polymer nanoconjugates used in organic media, which is highly solubilized in organic solvents and facilitates substrate transport, allowing highly efficient enzymatic synthesis of therapeutic compounds; 3) A substrate-‘imprinted’ enzyme-polymer nanogel, which has high affinity to the substrate and enhanced activity for the synthesis of therapeutic molecules.[5]

Keywords: nanobiocatalysis, non-aqueous enzymatic catalysis, immobilized enzyme, nanostructures

References

(1)   Ge, J.; Yang, C.; Zhu, J.; Lu D.; Liu, Z.* Topics in Catalysis 2012, 55, 1070-1080.

(2)   Wang, R.; Zhang, Y.; Lu, D.; Ge, J.*; Liu, Z.*; Zare, R. N.* Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews: Nanomedicine and Nanobiotechnology 2013, doi: 10.1002/wnan.1210.

(3)   Ge, J.; Lei, J.; Zare, R. N.* Nature Nanotechnology 2012, 7, 428-432.

(4)   Zhu, L.; Gong, L.; Zhang, Y.; Wang, R.; Ge, J.*; Liu, Z.*; Zare, R. N.* Chemistry-An Asian Journal 2013, doi: 10.1002/asia.201300020.

(5)   Wang, R.; Zhang, Y.; Huang, J.; Lu, D.; Ge, J.*; Liu, Z.* Green Chemistry 2013, doi: 10.1039/c3gc40465j.