Enzymes in the cavity of hollow silica nanoparticles

Due to limitations of the existing preparative methods of hollow nanoparticles by either heating at high temperature (> 600 degrees C) or by using strong acid, alkali, or an organic solvent, it was not possible up till now to encapsulate any sensitive organic molecule like enzyme or others inside the cavity of hollow nanoparticles. We have demonstrated a much softer method of preparing hollow silica nanoparticles with horseradish peroxidase (HRP) inside the cavity by synthesizing HRP-doped core-shell silica-coated silver chloride nanoparticles and finally leaching out silver chloride with dilute ammonia at low temperatures. TEM pictures showed the hollow cavity inside the nanoparticles. The enzyme entrapped in these particles was active. The turnover number of HRP entrapped into these hollow particles and dispersed in aqueous buffer (pH 7.2) (k(cat) = 2.56 x 10(6) s(-1)) was found to be less than that of free enzyme in aqueous buffer (k(cat) = 6.133 x 10(7) s(-1)) but higher than that of HRP entrapped in solid-core silica nanoparticles and dispersed in aqueous buffer (k(cat) = 1.05 x 10(5) s(-1)). The result showed that hollow nanoparticles could be prepared using soft chemical methods and sensitive chemicals like active enzyme could be entrapped in the cavities and it retains its activity. (c) 2004 Published by Elsevier Inc.