Nano-bio-interface engineering of metal-organic frameworks

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have been widely investigated in various fields owing to their highly attractive structural and functional features. The nano-bio-interface engineering of MOFs enables biomacromolecules or living systems with novel properties out of their scope of evolution. As the research progress, there is an intensive desire to revel the interfacial interactions of MOFs and biosystems, which has anticipated to significantly broaden their applications. Herein, the recent achievements in nano-bio-interface engineering of MOFs via designing and integrating MOFs with a wide range of biomacromolecules and living systems, such as enzymes, non-enzymatic proteins and living systems (i.e., prokaryotic cells, eukaryotic cells, and multi-cellular living systems), are critically summarized. Their interfacial interactions, dynamic biomolecular structural information in the MOF microenvironment, and their self-organization process are mainly focused. Then their most emerging applications ranging from on-demand smart nano/ microrobotics to gene knockdown/editing to self-powered/on-site biosensors are described. Finally, exciting perspectives are recapitulated. These advances are anticipated to bridge the gap between life science and materials science, and provide a new capability for designing bio-inspired nanomaterials towards versatile biotechnological applications. (c) 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have made significant progress in the field of bio-interface engineering, expanding the applications of biotechnology. Through design and integration with various biomacromolecules and living systems, MOFs exhibit unique interfacial interactions and application potential.