材料生物主要是藉由材料元件所提供或是可產生的特殊環境與條件下，來研究生物分子或組織細胞的功能與行為的變化。例如將CdS奈米顆粒成功的成長在非光合作用的細菌細胞壁上，導致該菌種可以行生光合作用並成功的將二氧化碳(CO2)轉化成乙酸(acetic acid)。 而本研計劃是利用金屬有機骨架材料 (Metal-organic Frameworks；MOFs)因具有孔洞性質可讓生化分子例如酵素的底物(substrates)或是碳源(能量)自由進出，同時生物分子則被MOFs材料緊緊包覆著，使其結構與型態無法巨大變化。而透過MOFs材料所提供的特殊條件，進而觀察被包覆生物分子/組織的催化生理以及型態有無特別的變化。此MOFs所提供的空間環境條件是傳統孔洞材料無法辦到的，如果此相關研究可以有所突破，例如包複生物分子方式，這將為酵素與細胞研究開創創出截然不同的研究方向。金屬有機骨架材料-MOFs 是近年來迅速崛起的一種奈米孔洞材料 (nanoporous material)，其藉由金屬離子 (metal ions) 或金屬團簇 (metal clusters) 與有機配位體 (organic linkers) 所構成，不同的組成單元及官能基具有不同的物理或化學性質，同時具有多孔性與高比表面積，因此其應用性非常廣泛。此計畫利用本實驗室所發展出的特殊水相合成法以及機械球磨技術，在不需使用有機溶劑的條件下，合成數種具有不同孔洞大小的MOF材料，並且調控MOF各項物理化學參數如有機配體官能基變化。進而，合成出生物分子與MOＦ的複合材料（Biomelecules@MOF），並研究其生物分子例如:酵素功能與結構上的變化。 本計畫為2年期計畫，在第一年我們利用化學研磨法合成UiO-66與酵素的複合顆粒β-glucosidase@UiO-66/β-galactosidase@UiO-66 ，並進一步研究allosteric regulation. 第二年我們將利用水相合成法開發大腸桿菌複合性材料E. coli@ZIF-90，並且研究大腸桿菌在被包覆的條件下其生化與生長的變化。在本計畫中，我們不僅可開發新的綠色合成技術並且製備一系列新穎性的奈米孔洞MOF生化分子複合材料，同時也可開展出全新研究生物分子的路徑與方式。 ;This proposal will introduce a new concept in materials biology by studying the change in biological function of biomolecules and organisms when they are contained within synthetic frameworks. For example, Peidong Yang et al. demonstrated that a self-photosensitization of a nonphotosynthetic bacterium with cadmium sulfide nanoparticles enabled the photosynthesis of acetic acid from carbon dioxide. Herein, we propose using metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) with apertures that allow substrates to move freely and while embedded enzymes or bacterium are confined inside the framework where they are shielded against most structural changes. This new approach will provide an alternative avenue for the study of enzymology, microbiology, and cell biology. MOFs are a new class of nanoporous materials constructed by metal-based nodes and organic linkers. Owing to their ultrahigh surface area, regular nanostructured pores, tunable pore size, and permanent porosity, MOFs have been used in diverse applications including bio-sensing, biomass , and catalysis. We will control the physical and chemical properties of the synthesized biomolecule and MOF composites (termed biomolecules@MOFs). In addition, we will investigate the biological functionality and metabolic activity of biomolecules and organisms embedded within synthesized MOF composites. This is a two-year proposal. In the first year, we will encapsulate s-glucosidase and s-galactosidase enzymes into UiO-66 MOFs via a mechanochemical approach. The enzymatic activity and effects of allosteric regulation for the embedded enzymes will be measured. In the second year, we will use aqueous -based synthesis methods to prepare E. coli@ZIF-90 and then analyze the biological activity and metabolic rate of the encapsulated cells. In this project, we will establish a green and a grinding synthetic method for preparing different classes of biomolecules@MOFs. In addition, we will demonstrate how biological functionality and bacterial morphology changes when embedded in our newly synthesized MOF composites.
