Current Advances on the Single-Atom Nanozyme and Its Bioapplications

Area of Science:

• * Nanomaterials Science
• * Catalysis
• * Biochemistry

Background:

• * Nanozymes, enzyme-mimicking nanomaterials, show tunable properties but suffer from undefined active sites and lower catalytic efficiency compared to natural enzymes.
• * Single-atom nanozymes (SAzymes) address these limitations by maximizing atom utilization and offering well-defined structures for mechanistic studies.
• * SAzymes are emerging as promising alternatives to natural enzymes due to their flexible atomic engineering and broad applicability.

Purpose of the Study:

• * To provide a comprehensive overview of single-atom nanozyme synthesis strategies.
• * To discuss the key structural factors influencing SAzyme catalytic activity and biological performance.
• * To highlight current and potential applications of SAzymes in various biological fields.

Main Methods:

• * Review of bottom-up and top-down approaches for synthesizing single-atom catalysts.
• * Analysis of structure-activity relationships based on central metal atom, coordination, doping, and support interactions.
• * Compilation of representative biological applications, including antibacterial, antiviral, cancer therapy, and biosensing.

Main Results:

• * Detailed discussion on synthesis methods and influencing factors for SAzyme design.
• * Demonstrated potential of SAzymes in antibacterial/antiviral applications, cancer therapy, and biosensing.
• * Identification of structure-activity correlations crucial for optimizing SAzyme performance.

Conclusions:

• * SAzymes represent a significant advancement in nanozyme technology, bridging the gap between nanomaterial catalysis and natural enzymes.
• * Their well-defined structures and tunable properties enable precise control over catalytic activity and biological function.
• * Future research should focus on overcoming challenges to fully realize the potential of SAzymes in diverse applications.