We have developed armored single-enzyme nanoparticles (SENs), which dramatically stabilize a protease (a-chymotrypsin, CT) by surrounding each enzyme molecule with a porous composite organic/inorganic shell of less than a few nanometers thick. The armored enzymes show no decrease in CT activity at 30°C for a day while free CT activity is rapidly reduced by orders of magnitude. The armored shell around CT is sufficiently thin and porous that it does not place any serious mass-transfer limitation of substrate. This unique approach will have a great impact in using enzymes in various fields, including environmental remediation.
Revised: July 9, 2007 |
Published: January 1, 2005
Citation
Kim J., and J.W. Grate. 2005.Nano-Biotechnology in Using Enzymes for Environmental Remediation: Single-Enzyme Nanoparticles. In ACS Symposium Series, Nanotechnology and the Environment: Applications and Implications, edited by B. Karn, T. Masciangioli, W. Zhang, V. Colvin, P. Alivisatos. 220-225. Washington, District Of Columbia:American Chemical Society.PNNL-SA-39368.