A silica nanostructure with chemo-enzymatic compartmentalization
Published Date: 8/12/2021
Source: phys.org
As COVID-19 vaccinations are well underway, people await a return to normal life. However, fears also grow due to unforeseen side effects like the rare thrombosis. In the body, life is maintained by the movement of substances or energy. Chemical reactions are regulated by the presence of organelles, or core structures of cells, that accommodate specific enzymes or cofactors. A nanoreactor with both the activity of a synthetic catalyst, such as an artificial organelle that mimics a cell, and the properties of an enzyme, creates a platform for selectively synthesizing natural enantiomeric bioactive molecules that can respond to pathogens in the body. However, until now, a nanoreactor with the functions of both a synthetic catalyst and an enzyme for such a platform has not been reported.