Biomimetic Cascade Network between Interactive Multicompartments Organized by Enzyme-Loaded Silica Nanoreactors

Abstract

Physical separation of reactions by interactive multicompartments in biological cells is an attractive motif to design efficient microreactors that create biomimetic cascade reactions. We present an aqueous compartment with three different subcompartments that comprise of silica nanoreactors with encapsulated enzymes, namely, β-glucosidase, glucose oxidase, and peroxidase, providing a model cascade reaction in confinement. The encapsulated enzymes retain their activity as the substrate can reach the active site and the silica shell further protects the enzymes from external stresses, such as heat and proteolytic degradation. We demonstrate the biomimetic cascade reaction in between the compartments ("organelles") inside of an additional microconfinement (water-in-oil emulsion). This strategy will allow us to design efficient multicompartmentalized reactors for further biological and organic reactions.

Keywords: artificial cells; compartmentalization; enzyme cascade reactions; nanoreactors; silica nanoparticles.