Highly Active Biocatalytic Coatings from Protein-Polymer Diblock Copolymers.

Area of Science:

• Biotechnology
• Materials Science
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Established enzyme encapsulation methods often suffer from limited protein loading and activity.
• Developing efficient immobilization techniques is crucial for advancing biocatalysis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To demonstrate a novel method for fabricating nanostructured biocatalysts using bioconjugate block copolymer self-assembly.
• To achieve higher protein loadings and catalytic activity per unit area compared to existing methods.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of self-assembled heterogeneous biocatalysts via flow coating of myoglobin-poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (myoglobin-PNIPAM) block copolymers onto solid supports.
• Stabilization of the resulting films using light cross-linking with glutaraldehyde.
• Characterization of the nanostructure formation in solution and thin solid films.

Main Results:

• Bioconjugate films exhibited disordered but micro-phase-separated structures.
• The nanostructured films demonstrated low diffusion resistance due to water-swollen PNIPAM nanostructures.
• Achieved 5-10 times greater catalytic activity compared to catalysts from established methods, attributed to high enzyme density and retained protein activity.

Conclusions:

• Bioconjugate block copolymer self-assembly is a highly effective strategy for creating advanced nanostructured biocatalysts.
• This method significantly enhances enzyme loading, activity, and stability, offering a superior alternative to conventional encapsulation techniques.