Boosted Enzyme Activity via Encapsulation within Metal-Organic Frameworks with Pores Matching Enzyme Size and Shape

A novel and versatile approach called "physical imprinting" is introduced to modulate enzyme conformation using mesoporous materials, addressing challenges in achieving improved enzyme activity and stability. Metal-organic frameworks with tailored mesopores, precisely matching enzyme size and shape, are synthesized. Remarkably, enzymes encapsulated within these customized mesopores exhibit over 1670% relative activity compared to free enzymes, maintaining outstanding efficiency even under harsh conditions such as heat, exposure to organic solvents, wide-ranging pH extremes from acidic to alkaline, and exposure to a digestion cocktail. After 18 consecutive cycles of use, the immobilized enzymes retain 80% of their initial activity. Additionally, the encapsulated enzymes exhibit a substantial increase in catalytic efficiency, with a 14.1-fold enhancement in k_cat/K_M compared to native enzymes. This enhancement is among the highest reported for immobilized enzymes. The improved enzyme activity and stability are corroborated by solid-state UV-vis, electron paramagnetic resonance, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, and solid-state NMR spectroscopy. The findings not only offer valuable insights into the crucial role of size and shape complementarity within confined microenvironments but also establish a new pathway for developing solid carriers capable of enhancing enzyme activity and stability.