Multi-enzyme Cascade Reactions in Metal-organic Frameworks

Abstract

Multi-enzyme cascade reactions are indispensable in biotechnology and many industrial (bio)chemical processes. However, most natural enzymes have poor stability and reusability, and tend to inactivate in toxic media or high temperature, which significantly limit their broader applications. Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are promising candidates for enzymes immobilization to produce nanocomposite structures that not only could shield the enzymes from harsh environments, but also facilitate selective diffusion of substrates and intermediates to the reactive site via their tailorable and ordered pore network. Multi-enzyme cascade reactions in MOFs have recently attracted considerable attention. This Personal Account discusses the different strategies for multi-enzyme-MOF interfaces and their cutting-edge applications from biosensing and catalytic nanomedicine to artificial/hybrid cells. At last, we provide a critical evaluation and future prospects to outline future research directions.

Keywords: Biocatalysis; Cascade reactions; Metal-organic frameworks; Multi-enzyme; Nanotechnology.