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Nonlinear Transient Permeability in pH-Responsive Bicontinuous Nanospheres.

Wouter P van den Akker1,2, Hanglong Wu1, Pascal L W Welzen1

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Researchers created pH-responsive nanospheres that control enzyme activity. These nanostructures exhibit unique permeability changes, enabling precise regulation of catalytic processes within the nanoreactor.

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Area of Science:

  • Biomaterials Science
  • Nanotechnology
  • Chemical Engineering

Background:

  • Amphiphilic block copolymers are used to create nanostructures.
  • pH-responsive materials offer tunable properties for controlled release and catalysis.
  • Enzyme encapsulation within nanoreactors is a key strategy for biocatalysis.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To construct pH-responsive bicontinuous nanospheres (BCNs) with tunable permeability and catalytic activity.
  • To investigate the nonlinear transient permeability and catalytic output of enzyme-loaded BCNs.
  • To compare the performance of BCNs with spherical polymersomes for controlled catalysis.

Main Methods:

  • Assembly of amphiphilic block copolymers with pH-responsive groups.
  • Coencapsulation of urease and horseradish peroxidase (HRP) enzymes.
  • Utilizing the urease-mediated pH increase (urea to ammonia) to trigger permeability changes.
  • Monitoring HRP catalytic activity in response to urea addition and varying buffer capacities.

Main Results:

  • BCNs demonstrated nonlinear transient permeability and catalytic activity.
  • Urease activity induced a pH increase, leading to a transient HRP catalytic output.
  • Ammonia production caused a decrease in membrane permeability, resulting in a nonlinear dampening effect.
  • Catalytic output was modulated by urea concentration and buffer capacity.
  • This nonlinear dampening was specific to the BCN morphology and not observed in polymersomes.

Conclusions:

  • The BCN morphology enables optimal control of catalytic processes via pH changes in the nanoreactor.
  • The unique permeability profile of BCNs allows for precise microenvironment control compared to bulk conditions.
  • These pH-responsive BCNs offer a novel platform for advanced nanoreactor applications.