Understanding the silica-based sol-gel encapsulation mechanism of Thermomyces lanuginosus lipase: The role of polyethylenimine

Thermally Stable and Reusable Silica and Nano-Fructosome Encapsulated CalB Enzyme Particles for Rapid Enzymatic Hydrolysis and Acylation

This study reports the preparation of silica-coated and nano-fructosome encapsulated Candida antarctica lipase B particles (CalB@NF@SiO₂) and a demonstration of their enzymatic hydrolysis and acylation. CalB@NF@SiO₂ particles were prepared as a function of TEOS concentration (3-100 mM). Their mean particle size was 185 nm by TEM. Enzymatic hydrolysis was performed to compare catalytic efficiencies of CalB@NF and CalB@NF@SiO₂. The catalytic constants (K_m, V_max, and K_cat) of CalB@NF and CalB@NF@SiO₂ were calculated using the Michaelis-Menten equation and Lineweaver-Burk plot. Optimal stability of CalB@NF@SiO₂ was found at pH 8 and a temperature of 35 °C. Moreover, CalB@NF@SiO₂ particles were reused for seven cycles to evaluate their reusability. In addition, enzymatic synthesis of benzyl benzoate was demonstrated via an acylation reaction with benzoic anhydride. The efficiency of CalB@NF@SiO₂ for converting benzoic anhydride to benzyl benzoate by the acylation reaction was 97%, indicating that benzoic anhydride was almost completely converted to benzyl benzoate. Consequently, CalB@NF@SiO₂ particles are better than CalB@NF particles for enzymatic synthesis. In addition, they are reusable with high stability at optimal pH and temperature.

Efficient strategies for controlled release of nanoencapsulated phytohormones to improve plant stress tolerance

Climate change due to different human activities is causing adverse environmental conditions and uncontrolled extreme weather events. These harsh conditions are directly affecting the crop areas, and consequently, their yield (both in quantity and quality) is often impaired. It is essential to seek new advanced technologies to allow plants to tolerate environmental stresses and maintain their normal growth and development. Treatments performed with exogenous phytohormones stand out because they mitigate the negative effects of stress and promote the growth rate of plants. However, the technical limitations in field application, the putative side effects, and the difficulty in determining the correct dose, limit their widespread use. Nanoencapsulated systems have attracted attention because they allow a controlled delivery of active compounds and for their protection with eco-friendly shell biomaterials. Encapsulation is in continuous evolution due to the development and improvement of new techniques economically affordable and environmentally friendly, as well as new biomaterials with high affinity to carry and coat bioactive compounds. Despite their potential as an efficient alternative to phytohormone treatments, encapsulation systems remain relatively unexplored to date. This review aims to emphasize the potential of phytohormone treatments as a means of enhancing plant stress tolerance, with a specific focus on the benefits that can be gained through the improved exogenous application of these treatments using encapsulation techniques. Moreover, the main encapsulation techniques, shell materials and recent work on plants treated with encapsulated phytohormones have been compiled.

Application of Immobilized Enzymes in Food Industry

Enzymes are macromolecular biocatalysts, widely used in food industry. In applications, enzymes are often immobilized on inert and insoluble carriers, which increase their efficiency due to multiple reusability. The properties of immobilized enzymes depend on the immobilization method and the carrier type. The choice of the carrier usually concerns the biocompatibility, chemical and thermal stability, insolubility under reaction conditions, capability of easy regeneration and reusability, as well as cost efficiency. In this review, we provide an overview of various carriers for enzyme immobilization, with the primary focus on food industry.

Biocatalytic Protein-Based Materials for Integration into Energy Devices

There is a current need to fabricate new biobased functional materials. Bottom-up approaches to assemble simple molecular units have shown promise for biomaterial fabrication due to their tunability and versatility for the incorporation of functionalities. Herein, the fabrication of catalytic protein thin films by the entrapment of catalase into protein films composed of a scaffolding protein is demonstrated. Extensive structural and functional characterization of the films provide evidence of the structural integrity, order, stability, catalytic activity, and reusability of the biocatalytic materials. Finally, these functional biomaterials are coupled with piezoelectric disks to fabricate a second generation of bio-inorganic generators. These devices are capable of producing electricity from renewable fuels through catalase-driven gas production that mechanically stimulates the piezoelectric material.