Volume 63, Issue 51 e202409951
Research Article

Unlocking of Hidden Mesopores for Enzyme Encapsulation by Dynamic Linkers in Stable Metal-Organic Frameworks

Meng Qiao

Meng Qiao

School of Food Science and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, 210023 China

These authors contributed equally to this work.

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Youcong Li

Youcong Li

State Key Laboratory of Coordination Chemistry, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023 China

These authors contributed equally to this work.

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Yanqi Li

Yanqi Li

School of Food Science and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, 210023 China

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Mengting Chang

Mengting Chang

School of Food Science and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, 210023 China

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Xing Zhang

Corresponding Author

Xing Zhang

School of Food Science and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, 210023 China

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Shuai Yuan

Corresponding Author

Shuai Yuan

State Key Laboratory of Coordination Chemistry, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023 China

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First published: 23 August 2024
Citations: 7

Graphical Abstract

Introducing dynamic boroxine linkers into mesoporous PCN-333 creates defects that expand pore sizes, enabling the encapsulation of enzymes larger than the inherent pore size of MOFs. This strategy allows the immobilization of glycoenzymes in MOFs for synthesizing complex oligosaccharides and polysaccharides, demonstrating high activity and enhanced enzyme stability.

Abstract

Mesoporous metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are promising supports for the immobilization of enzymes, yet their applications are often limited by small pore apertures that constrain the size of encapsulated enzymes to below 5 nm. In this study, we introduced labile linkers (4,4′,4′′-(2,4,6-boroxintriyl)-tribenzoate, TBTB) with dynamic boroxine bonds into mesoporous PCN-333, resulting in PCN-333-TBTB with enhanced enzyme loading and protection capabilities. The selective breaking of B−O bonds creates defects in PCN-333, which effectively expands both window and cavity sizes, thereby unlocking hidden mesopores for enzyme encapsulation. Consequently, this strategy not only increases the adsorption kinetics of small enzymes (<5 nm) such as cytochrome c (Cyt C) and horseradish peroxidase (HRP), but also enables the immobilization of various large-sized enzymes (>5 nm), such as glycoenzymes. The glycoenzymes@PCN-333-TBTB platform was successfully applied to synthesize thirteen complex oligosaccharides and polysaccharides, demonstrating high activity and enhanced enzyme stability. The dynamic linker-mediated enzyme encapsulation strategy enables the immobilization of enzymes exceeding the inherent pore size of MOFs, thus broadening the scope of enzymatic catalytic reactions achievable with MOF materials.

Conflict of Interests

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Data Availability Statement

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

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