About the project

Redesigning biocatalysis: Thermal-tuning of one-pot multienzymatic cascades by nanoactuation

The biotechnological production relies on enzymatic cascades for complex biotransformations, but efficient, cell-free, one-pot systems with regulated components are not currently available. The EU-funded HOTZYMES project proposes a new concept for the spatio-temporal control over the kinetics of multi-enzymatic cascades via remote alternating magnetic fields. The enzyme activity will be regulated by conjugating enzymes and magnetic nanoparticles and tuning temperature gradients at the nanoscale to precisely and locally reach the optimal temperature of each immobilised enzyme. To ensure easy separation, re-utilisation and integration into bioreactors, these conjugates will be integrated within porous microparticles. Novel magnetic bioreactors specific for biocatalysis will also be designed and fabricated to meet this technological breakthrough.