Nanoflowers: A New Approach of Enzyme Immobilization

Abstract

Enzymes are biocatalysts known for versatility, selectivity, and brand operating conditions compared to chemical catalysts. However, there are limitations to their large-scale application, such as the high costs of enzymes and their low stability under extreme reaction conditions. Immobilization techniques can efficiently solve these problems; nevertheless, most current methods lead to a significant loss of enzymatic activity and require several steps of activation and functionalization of the supports. In this context, a new form of immobilization has been studied: forming organic-inorganic hybrids between metal phosphates as inorganic parts and enzymes as organic parts. Compared to traditional immobilization methods, the advantages of these nanomaterials are high surface area, simplicity of synthesis, high stability, and catalytic activity. The current study presents an overview of organic-inorganic hybrid nanoflowers and their applications in enzymatic catalysis.

Is enzyme immobilization a mature discipline? Some critical considerations to capitalize on the benefits of immobilization

“…47 In fact, some researchers have proposed the trapping of the cross-linked aggregates in solids with better mechanical features [48][49][50][51] Other very popular strategy of enzyme immobilization in ex novo solids is the formation of nano-flowers, where the enzyme is incubated in some metal salts and a metal crystal grows using the enzyme surface as nucleation points. [52][53][54][55][56][57][58] In some instances, enzyme stability or activity may increase. 27,52,55 However, again the mechanical fragility makes complex to use these biocatalysts in industrial processes, and many researcher tarp the nano-flowers in materials with better enzyme features.…”

Influence of Metal Ions and Organic Solutions on Activity and Stability of Beta‐Glucosidase Nanoflowers

“…A variety of support materials (micro or nano‐sized) and immobilization processes (adsorption, covalent binding, entrapment, and cross‐linking) have been chosen and designed for enzyme immobilization. However, the observed increase in catalytic activity for immobilized enzymes is limited by mass transfer constraints between the enzyme and substrate, as well as conformational changes in enzymes [13,14] …”

“…However, the observed increase in catalytic activity for immobilized enzymes is limited by mass transfer constraints between the enzyme and substrate, as well as conformational changes in enzymes. [13,14] Moreover, organic-inorganic hybrid materials have garnered growing interest in recent years due to their advantageous combination of properties from both organic and inorganic components. Flower-shaped organic-inorganic hybrid nanoflowers (h-NFs) represent one of the most notable hybrid materials, first discovered in 2012 by Zare et al.…”

Tuning Immobilized Enzyme Features by Combining Solid-Phase Physicochemical Modification and Mineralization

“…Recently, it was proposed also that the mineralization of enzymes in the solid phase may have some advantages [ 32 , 33 ]. The building of enzyme hybrid nanoflowers (where a salt crystal grows around the enzyme molecules that act as nucleation points) as an immobilization system has proved to allow the improvement of enzyme stability and activity in certain cases [ 34 , 35 , 36 , 37 , 38 , 39 , 40 , 41 , 42 , 43 ], but the small size and fragility of the resulting structures makes their recovery complex. Some researchers have proposed the use of magnetic materials or the trapping of these nanoflowers in larger and mechanically more stable structures as a solution for these limitations [ 44 , 45 , 46 , 47 , 48 , 49 , 50 , 51 ].…”