Bimetallic-Node-Occupied MOF With Glycoside Hydrolase Activity for Efficient Bacterial Biofilm Hydrolysis

Artificial synthesis of compounds to mimic the catalytic functions of natural enzymes and investigate their underlying mechanisms is challenging work. The development of glycoside hydrolase mimics encounters significant obstacles due to the complex stereochemistry and reaction mechanisms involved. Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have become promising candidates for artificial enzymes due to their ordered structure and ability to precisely control the active sites. Herein, a bimetallic MOF (CZPDC) containing bimetallic nodes is synthesized as an enzyme mimic to hydrolyze glycosidic molecules. X-ray absorption near-edge structure confirms the coexistence of Ce and Zr in the metal cluster nodes. DFT calculations reveal the unique adsorption behavior of CZPDC toward the negatively charged functional group connected to the C atom at the C2 position on the Ce site, thereby avoiding the stereoisomerism-induced selectivity between glycoside atoms and heteroatom carbons, making it suitable for the degradation of more complex polysaccharide systems. The catalytic behavior enables efficient hydrolysis of complex biological tissues containing multiple chemical bonds, disrupts bacterial biofilms, and kills internal bacteria. These characteristics endow CZPDC with strong potential for application in areas such as glycoside-catalyzed hydrolysis and bacterial biofilm removal.