Advances in Enzymes for Industrial Biocatalysis

A special issue of Catalysts (ISSN 2073-4344). This special issue belongs to the section "Industrial Catalysis".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 August 2025 | Viewed by 147

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Department of Chemistry, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO 80401, USA
Interests: bioinorganic chemistry; mechanistic enzymology; biophysical chemistry; structure/function studies of metalloenzymes; industrial catalysts

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

From bioremediation and environmentally friendly chemical formulation to pharmaceuticals and sustainable energy production, biocatalysts have a wide variety of industrial applications in the modern world. Enzyme-based materials are powerful biocatalysts that enable selective reactions across a diverse set of industrial processes. The increase in the accessibility of recombinant protein expression paired with widespread efforts to identify potential catalysts has made enzyme-based biomaterials more practical and offers a greener approach to catalysis. Through the use of protein engineering, previously identified enzymes can be modified into new biocatalysts that are more robust, efficient, and stable. However, despite these advances, enzymes themselves are often susceptible to degradation over extended periods of time and in changing temperature or pH. The use of immobilization techniques, whether through absorption methods, entrapment, or cross-linking, allows for longer-lasting, more durable biocatalysts.

This Special Issue on “Advances in Enzymes for Industrial Biocatalysis” aims to highlight recent innovative enzyme-based biocatalysts across a variety of industries. It also welcomes a discussion of common challenges faced within the field and new strategies for overcoming such barriers. This Special Issue will also provide a platform for academic and industry professionals to share innovative solutions that will shape the future of industrial biocatalysis. We invite original research articles, reviews, and perspectives that advance our understanding and utilization of enzymes in industrial applications.

Prof. Dr. Richard C. Holz
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

  • environmental biocatalysis
  • enzyme immobilization and stabilization
  • protein engineering and computational enzyme design
  • industrial applications
  • green chemistry and sustainable manufacturing
  • directed evolution for next generation of biocatalysts

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

30 pages, 48472 KiB  
Article
Polyurethane@CeO2 Nanozyme Core–Shell Fibrous Membranes for Enhanced Wound Healing via Balanced Redox Modulation
by Yuping Li, Jinzheng Zhang, Xiaoyu Lei, Li Li, Bo Mu, Qingda Du, Yubao Li and Yi Zuo
Catalysts 2025, 15(7), 617; https://doi.org/10.3390/catal15070617 - 22 Jun 2025
Abstract
This study designed a polyurethane core–shell fiber (PU CSF) wound dressing, which achieved unique redox catalytic function by loading nanoceria (n-CeO2) nanozyme and effectively reduced potential side effects. The stability of ceria nanoparticles with superoxide dismutase (SOD) mimetic activity was optimized. [...] Read more.
This study designed a polyurethane core–shell fiber (PU CSF) wound dressing, which achieved unique redox catalytic function by loading nanoceria (n-CeO2) nanozyme and effectively reduced potential side effects. The stability of ceria nanoparticles with superoxide dismutase (SOD) mimetic activity was optimized. Engineered PU CSFs with different doses of citrate-modified nanospheres (CeO2@PU CSFs) were successfully fabricated via electrospinning and showed excellent SOD-mimetic activity in reducing oxidative stress both in vitro and in vivo. Notably, low-dose nanoceria PU CSFs demonstrated advantages in promoting wound healing and reducing scar formation compared to high-dose and SOD-loaded groups (p < 0.05), despite lower reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging capacity (p < 0.001). Transcriptome analysis revealed distinct mechanisms in rat skin studies: the CeO2-loaded dressing systemically downregulated cell activation- and innate immunity-related genes (Fos, Trpm2, Cybb, and Nlrc4), while the SOD-loaded group specifically regulated inflammation mediated by oxidative stress (IL17a and Ccl20). The optimized core–shell structure and low-dose nanoceria provided balanced redox modulation, effectively protecting cells from oxidative damage while providing a multifunctional therapeutic platform for damaged wound healing. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Enzymes for Industrial Biocatalysis)
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