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  • Catalytically potent and se...
    Liu, Haile; Li, Yonghui; Sun, Si; Xin, Qi; Liu, Shuhu; Mu, Xiaoyu; Yuan, Xun; Chen, Ke; Wang, Hao; Varga, Kalman; Mi, Wenbo; Yang, Jiang; Zhang, Xiao-Dong

    Nature communications, 01/2021, Volume: 12, Issue: 1
    Journal Article

    Emerging artificial enzymes with reprogrammed and augmented catalytic activity and substrate selectivity have long been pursued with sustained efforts. The majority of current candidates have rather poor catalytic activity compared with natural molecules. To tackle this limitation, we design artificial enzymes based on a structurally well-defined Au cluster, namely clusterzymes, which are endowed with intrinsic high catalytic activity and selectivity driven by single-atom substitutions with modulated bond lengths. Au Cu and Au Cd clusterzymes exhibit 137 and 160 times higher antioxidant capacities than natural trolox, respectively. Meanwhile, the clusterzymes demonstrate preferential enzyme-mimicking catalytic activities, with Au , Au Cu and Au Cd displaying compelling selectivity in glutathione peroxidase-like (GPx-like), catalase-like (CAT-like) and superoxide dismutase-like (SOD-like) activities, respectively. Au Cu decreases peroxide in injured brain via catalytic reactions, while Au Cd preferentially uses superoxide and nitrogenous signal molecules as substrates, and significantly decreases inflammation factors, indicative of an important role in mitigating neuroinflammation.