Single-atom nanozymes: Bridging atomic design and biomedical function through structure-activity-property...

Area of Science:

• Nanotechnology
• Biomedical Engineering
• Catalysis

Background:

• Single-atom nanozymes (SAzymes) mimic metalloenzymes with high precision.
• Biomedical applications are hindered by limited structure-function understanding and clinical translation challenges.

Purpose of the Study:

• Establish a structure-activity-property relationship (SAPR) framework for SAzymes.
• Bridge atomic-level design with catalytic behavior and biomedical function.

Main Methods:

• Outline principles for constructing single-atom active sites.
• Detail SAzyme design strategies: coordination, electronic structure, defects, and multi-atom sites.
• Analyze how atomic features govern ROS generation, kinetics, and selectivity.

Main Results:

• Atomic-level SAzyme features dictate catalytic processes and biomedical applications.
• SAzymes enhance biosensing sensitivity and reproducibility.
• SAzymes address tumor hypoxia, redox imbalance, and inflammation via ROS catalysis and metabolic modulation.

Conclusions:

• The SAPR framework enables rational design of SAzymes for biosensing and therapy.
• Key challenges include stability, protein corona, scalability, and biosafety.
• This review provides a unified perspective for next-generation SAzyme nanomedicines.