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Abstract Iron-based nanozymes, recognized for their biocompatibility and peroxidase-like activities, hold promise as catalysts in tumor therapy. However, their concurrent catalase-like activity undermines therapeutic efficacy by converting hydrogen peroxide in tumor tissues into oxygen, thus diminishing hydroxyl radical production. Addressing this challenge, this study introduces the hemin–cysteine–Fe (HCFe) nanozyme, which exhibits exclusive peroxidase-like activity. Constructed through a supramolecular assembly approach involving Fmoc-l-cysteine, heme, and Fe²⁺ coordination, HCFe distinctly incorporates heme and [Fe–S] within its active center. Sulfur coordination to the central Fe atom of Hemin is crucial in modulating the catalytic preference of the HCFe nanozyme towards peroxidase-like activity. This unique mechanism distinguishes HCFe from other bifunctional iron-based nanozymes, enhancing its catalytic selectivity even beyond that of natural peroxidases. This selective activity allows HCFe to significantly elevate ROS production and exert cytotoxic effects, especially against cisplatin-resistant esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) cells and their xenografts in female mice when combined with cisplatin. These findings underscore HCFe’s potential as a crucial component in multimodal cancer therapy, notably in augmenting chemotherapy efficacy.

Abstract Natural antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) and enzymes (AMEs) are promising non-antibiotic candidates against antimicrobial resistance but suffer from low efficiency and poor stability. Here, we develop peptide nanozymes which mimic the mode of action of AMPs and AMEs through de novo design and peptide assembly. Through modelling a minimal building block of IHIHICI is proposed by combining critical amino acids in AMPs and AMEs and hydrophobic isoleucine to conduct assembly. Experimental validations reveal that IHIHICI assemble into helical β-sheet nanotubes with acetate modulation and perform phospholipase C-like and peroxidase-like activities with Ni coordination, demonstrating high thermostability and resistance to enzymatic degradation. The assembled nanotubes demonstrate cascade antifungal actions including outer mannan docking, wall disruption, lipid peroxidation and subsequent ferroptotic death, synergistically killing >90% Candida albicans within 10 min on disinfection pad. These findings demonstrate an effective de novo design strategy for developing materials with multi-antimicrobial mode of actions.

It is critical to understand the factors that are associated with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) progression, metastasis and response to therapy. Here, the authors analyse primary and metastatic NPC samples using bulk and single-cell sequencing, and find two distinct evolutionary routes that lead to metastasis.

If decorated with the right surface modifications, nanoparticles can function as Trojan horses, transporting cell death-facilitating compounds to tumor cells. Here, the authors prepare a particle with four enzyme-like activities and show that ferritin can direct nanoparticles to tumor cells.

Porous membranes show great promise for CO2 separation and capture, but are currently limited by a trade-off between permeance and selectivity. Here, the authors fabricate a bio-inspired, ultra-thin enzymatic liquid membrane that displays exceptional CO2 permeability and selectivity under ambient conditions.

The original version of this Article contained an error in the spelling of the author Stanley S. Chou, which was incorrectly given as Stan Chou. This has now been corrected in both the PDF and HTML versions of the Article.

The limited flux and selectivities of current carbon dioxide membranes and the high costs associated with conventional absorption-based CO2 sequestration call for alternative CO2 separation approaches. Here we describe an enzymatically active, ultra-thin, biomimetic membrane enabling CO2 capture and separation under ambient pressure and temperature conditions. The membrane comprises a ~18-nm-thick close-packed array of 8 nm diameter hydrophilic pores that stabilize water by capillary condensation and precisely accommodate the metalloenzyme carbonic anhydrase (CA). CA catalyzes the rapid interconversion of CO2 and water into carbonic acid. By minimizing diffusional constraints, stabilizing and concentrating CA within the nanopore array to a concentration 10× greater than achievable in solution, our enzymatic liquid membrane separates CO2 at room temperature and atmospheric pressure at a rate of 2600 GPU with CO2/N2 and CO2/H2 selectivities as high as 788 and 1500, respectively, the highest combined flux and selectivity yet reported for ambient condition operation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]