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Ribozymes

Ribozymes

The term ribozyme is used for RNA that can act as an enzyme. Ribozymes are mainly found in selected viruses, bacteria, plant organelles, and lower eukaryotes. Ribozymes were first discovered in 1982 when Tom Cech’s laboratory observed Group I introns acting as enzymes. This was shortly followed by the discovery of another ribozyme, Ribonulcease P, by Sid Altman’s laboratory. Both Cech and Altman received the Nobel Prize in chemistry in 1989 for their work on ribozymes.
Ribozymes can...

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Author Spotlight: Advancements in DNA Nanosensors – Addressing Sensitivity and Selectivity Challenges in Molecular Detection

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Single-atom nanozymes for biological applications.

Jiahui Pei¹, Ruoli Zhao, Xiaoyu Mu

¹Tianjin Key Laboratory of Low Dimensional Materials Physics and Preparing Technology, School of Sciences, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300350, China. xiaodongzhang@tju.edu.cn liuchanglong@tju.edu.cn.

Biomaterials Science

|November 3, 2020

Summary

Single-atom nanozymes (SAzymes) offer significantly higher catalytic activity and selectivity than traditional nanozymes. This review explores their structure, mechanisms, and medical applications, paving the way for advanced treatments.

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Area of Science:

Biomaterials Science
Nanotechnology
Catalysis

Background:

Nanozymes are widely used as enzyme mimics due to their stability and tunable electronic properties.
Challenges with conventional nanozymes include structural ambiguity, limited activity, and poor substrate selectivity.
Single-atom nanozymes (SAzymes) represent a significant advancement, overcoming these limitations.

Purpose of the Study:

To review well-defined single-atom nanozymes (SAzymes).
To discuss the precise atom configuration, catalytic mechanisms, and enzyme-like activity of SAzymes.
To highlight the applications of SAzymes in cancer treatment, brain diseases, and wound healing.

Main Methods:

Literature review of recent advancements in SAzyme research.
Analysis of SAzyme structural characteristics and catalytic pathways.
Compilation of SAzyme applications in various biomedical fields.

Main Results:

SAzymes exhibit 10-100 times higher catalytic activity compared to conventional nanozymes.
Maximized metal atom dispersion in SAzymes enhances catalytic efficiency.
Precise control over atom spatial configuration enables versatile substrate selectivity.

Conclusions:

SAzymes offer superior catalytic performance and selectivity due to their well-defined single-atom structure.
Understanding SAzyme properties is crucial for advancing their development in medical applications.
SAzymes show great promise for future therapeutic strategies in oncology, neurology, and regenerative medicine.