Cold-Adapted Nanozymes

Abstract

Cold-adapted nanozymes represent a distinct class of nanomaterials that exhibit robust catalytic activity and stability under low-temperature conditions (below 37 °C). By emulating the catalytic functions of natural enzymes, these nanozymes can overcome the inherent limitations of traditional enzymes, which typically suffer from the reduced activity and rapid deactivation in cold environments. Over the recent years, cold-adapted nanozymes have attracted considerable interdisciplinary interest, including chemistry, biomedicine, and materials science, which have demonstrated unique advantages in diverse applications, such as antiviral and antibacterial treatments, tumor therapy, environmental remediation, and food safety monitoring. The current review provides an in-depth overview of the recent advancements in the cold-adapted nanozymes, with a focus on their design strategies, catalytic properties, and multifaceted applications. In addition, a comprehensive evaluation of their applications is also offered, particularly in sensor development, organic compound degradation, antiviral and antimicrobial agents, as well as cancer therapy. Finally, the future challenges and prospects for cold-adapted nanozymes are discussed, aiming to serve as a valuable resource for researchers interested in leveraging these nanozymes to enhance therapeutic and diagnostic technologies, thereby advancing the fields of chemistry, biomedical materials science, and biomedical research.

Keywords: cold‐adapted enzymes; low‐temperature catalysis; nanomaterials; nanozymes.