Enhancing Enzyme Activity Using Hydrophilic Hollow Layered Double Hydroxides as Encapsulation Carriers

Area of Science:

• Biocatalysis
• Materials Science
• Chemical Engineering

Background:

• Enzyme immobilization is key for green chemistry but faces challenges like poor electron/mass transfer and enzyme structure disruption.
• Traditional encapsulation methods often compromise enzyme stability or activity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a green and nondestructive enzyme immobilization strategy.
• To improve the stability and catalytic efficiency of immobilized enzymes.
• To explore the use of hollow-shell layered double hydroxides (LDHs) as enzyme carriers.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of hollow-shell layered double hydroxides (ZnCo-LDH).
• Encapsulation of enzymes within the ZnCo-LDH structure.
• Evaluation of enzyme stability, biostructure, and catalytic efficiency.

Main Results:

• The ZnCo-LDH carrier provided a protective, enzyme-friendly microenvironment, preserving enzyme biostructure and enhancing stability.
• Mesoporous ZnCo-LDH facilitated electron and mass transport, significantly improving enzymatic reaction rates.
• Immobilized enzymes exhibited 5.56 times higher catalytic efficiency compared to free enzymes.

Conclusions:

• Hollow-shell LDHs offer a promising platform for enzyme immobilization, overcoming limitations of traditional methods.
• This strategy alleviates the trade-off between enzyme stability and activity in immobilized systems.
• The developed method presents a viable route for industrial enzyme applications.