Effect of confinement of horse heart cytochrome c and formate dehydrogenase from Candida boidinii on mesoporous carbons on their catalytic activity

This study reports the immobilization of two biocatalysts (e.g., cytochrome c—Cyt c—and the non-metalloenzyme formate dehydrogenase from Candida boidinii–cbFDH) on a series of mesoporous carbons with controlled pore sizes. The catalytic activity of the nanoconfined proteins was correlated with the pore size distribution of the carbon materials used as supports. The electrochemical behaviour of nanoconfined Cyt c showed direct electron transfer electroactivity in pore sizes matching tightly the protein dimension. The pseudo-peroxidase activity towards H(2)O(2) reduction was enhanced at pH 4.0, due to the protein conformational changes. For cbFDH, the reduction of CO(2) towards formic acid was evaluated for the nanoconfined protein, in the presence of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH). The carbons displayed different cbFDH uptake capacity, governed by the dimensions of the main mesopore cavities and their accessibility through narrow pore necks. The catalytic activity of nanoconfined cbFDH was largely improved, compared to its performance in free solution. Regardless of the carbon support used, the production of formic acid was higher upon immobilization with lower nominal cbFDH:NADH ratios. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s00449-021-02553-3.