Interlocking Enzymes in Graphene-Coated Cellulose Paper for Increased Enzymatic Efficiency

Area of Science:

• Biotechnology
• Materials Science
• Enzyme Engineering

Background:

• Enzyme immobilization is crucial for biosensor development.
• Graphene-based materials offer unique electronic properties for enhanced biocatalysis.
• Cellulose offers a sustainable and versatile support matrix.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a simple and cost-effective method for immobilizing enzymes (glucose oxidase and horseradish peroxidase) onto a biographene-cellulose support.
• To investigate the role of biographene as an electron shuttle for improved enzyme efficiency.
• To evaluate the stability and activity of the immobilized enzymes.

Main Methods:

• Enzyme immobilization within cellulose fibers coated with bovine serum albumin (BSA)-exfoliated graphene (biographene).
• Characterization of the biographene material and enzyme loading.
• Assay of enzyme activity and stability under operational conditions.
• Washing experiments to determine enzyme retention.

Main Results:

• A stable and inexpensive paper reactor was successfully fabricated.
• Biographene facilitated efficient electron transfer, enhancing enzymatic reactions.
• High enzyme loading (5.2 mg/g paper) and excellent retention (93% after washing) were achieved.
• Immobilization on the solid support led to increased enzyme stability and activity, likely due to reduced entropy.

Conclusions:

• The developed biographene-cellulose system provides a low-cost, effective platform for enzyme immobilization.
• This method significantly enhances enzyme activity, stability, and loading capacity.
• The paper reactor demonstrates potential for various biosensing and biocatalytic applications.