Nanoparticles for the Control of One-Spot Multi-Enzymatic Reactions

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This patent describes a new system and process for controlling multiple enzymatic reactions in a single reaction vessel using magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs). Different populations of MNPs are functionalized with different enzymes and designed with distinct magnetic properties. By applying specific alternating magnetic fields (AMFs), these nanoparticles can be heated locally to activate their attached enzymes either simultaneously or one after the other, without significantly increasing the temperature of the overall environment. This approach allows for precise, on-demand regulation of multi-enzymatic bioprocesses in a single pot, overcoming the limitations of conventional temperature control in multi-step enzymatic reactions.

Use CasesContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

• Industrial biotechnology: enabling efficient enzymatic synthesis of pharmaceuticals, fine chemicals, or biofuels through complex multi-step conversions in a single reactor.
• Food and beverage processing: production of specialized sugars, sweeteners, or amino acids where different enzymes require different activation temperatures.
• Green chemistry: facilitating multi-enzymatic cascades for sustainable synthesis with minimized byproduct formation, energy use, or cofactor decomposition.
• Pharmaceutical manufacturing: one-pot synthesis of chiral compounds, APIs, or intermediates requiring strict temperature control for each enzymatic step.
• Lab-on-a-chip applications: microfluidic devices performing multiplexed enzymatic diagnostics or synthesis with precise, non-invasive activation of specific enzymes.
• Biocatalytic flow reactors: continuous production platforms where sequential or simultaneous activation of enzymes is needed for high-yield, high-purity product formation.

BenefitsContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

• Precise temperature control for each enzyme, allowing each to operate at its optimal conditions without overheating the reaction medium.
• Enables one-pot, multi-step enzymatic processes, reducing the need for multiple reaction vessels and simplifying downstream processing.
• Reduces byproduct formation and cofactor or substrate degradation by protecting thermolabile components from unnecessary exposure to heat.
• Increases efficiency and productivity in industrial biocatalysis by allowing sequential or simultaneous enzyme activation as required by the process.
• Highly adaptable to a wide variety of enzymes and reactions; suitable for both batch and continuous flow processes including scale-down to microfluidic systems.
• Minimizes energy consumption by eliminating the need to heat the entire reaction volume, focusing activation only at the catalytic sites.

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Patent Abstract

The present invention relates to a process to carry out two or more enzymatic reactions in a reaction medium, wherein the process comprises providing a system comprising at least two substantially homogeneous and colloidal populations of magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) and applying one or more external alternating magnetic field to produce the simultaneous or sequential activation of the enzymes functionalized on the surface of each population of MNPs so that the enzymatic reactions can be thermally activated.