title: Nanofibrillar Peptide hydrogels for the immobilization of biocatalysts for chemical transformations.
abstract: Enzymes are attractive, "green" alternatives to chemical catalysts within the industrial sector, but their robustness to environmental conditions needs optimizing. Here, an enzyme is tagged chemically and recombinantly with a self-assembling peptide that allows the conjugate to spontaneously assemble with pure peptide to form β-sheet-rich nanofibers decorated with tethered enzyme. Above a critical concentration, these fibers entangle and form a 3D hydrogel. The immobilized enzyme catalyzes chemical transformations and critically its stability is increased significantly where it retains activity after exposure to high temperatures (90 °C) and long storage times (up to 12 months).
authors.affiliation: School of Chemical Engineering and Analytical Science, Manchester Institute of Biotechnology, University of Manchester, 131 Princess Street, Manchester, M1, 7DN, UK.
authors.forename: Christopher
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hickling
authors.forename: Helen S
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Toogood
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Saiani
authors.forename: Nigel S
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: Scrutton
authors.forename: Aline F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Miller
mesh_terms: D055162:Biocatalysis; D001711:Biotransformation; D004800:Enzymes, Immobilized / Q000737:chemistry; D020100:Hydrogels; D057139:Nanofibers; D010455:Peptides / Q000737:chemistry*; D012212:Rheology
chemical_list: D004800:Enzymes, Immobilized; D020100:Hydrogels; D010455:Peptides
keywords: biocatalysis; chemical transformation; peptide hydrogel; self-assembly