Organoclay-wrapped Proteins and Enzymes

Recent advances in nanotechnology have shown that self-assembled cage structures of nanometer dimensions can be used as constrained environments for the encapsulation of guest molecules with potential applications in drug delivery, 

Hb and GOx, respectively. The variation in nanopartide size showed a direct correlation with the respective molecular dimensions of the different proteins, suggesting that each nanoparticle comprised a single biomolecule enveloped by a continuous condensed sheet of organoclay oligomers, one unit cell layer in thickness. 

Higher-order organization of the organoclay-wrapped protein nanoparticles was achieved by tailoring the organic functionalities attached to the organoclay oligomers. 

The structural and functional integrity of organoclay-wrapped Mb and Hb molecules was demonstrated by retention of the secondary protein structure as well as distinctive shifts in the absorption spectra associated with oxygen or carbon monoxide binding to the heme metallocenter. The latter indicated that the wrapped 

In general, single molecule encapsulation techniques could provide integrated biogenic materials for the isolation and stabilization of functional bio-nanostructures. 

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