Fungal laccase-guided copper nanoflower assembly enables complete conversion of HMF to FDCA

Abstract

The growing demand for sustainable biomanufacturing has driven significant interest in 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA), a bio-based platform chemical for producing renewable polymers. The eco-friendly oxidoreductase laccase exhibits promising FDCA biosynthesis capacity yet is hampered by pH-dependent activity decay and susceptibility to proteolytic degradation. Herein, we developed a bio-enabled synthesis approach to fabricate three-dimensional laccase-integrated copper hybrid nanoflowers (Lac-NFs) through enzyme-metal coordination-driven self-assembly. The engineered Lac-NFs displayed high enzyme encapsulation efficiency (89.28%) and enhanced environmental robustness compared to free laccase. Furthermore, the Lac-NFs maintained prolonged storage stability with well-preserved activity relative to the native enzyme. Elevated catalytic efficiency and refined enzymatic kinetics were achieved via copper-mediated electron transfer networks within the hybrid matrix. Remarkably, Lac-NFs demonstrate exceptional catalytic efficiency and selectivity in the conversion of HMF to FDCA, achieving complete substrate conversion under precisely controlled operational parameters. This nano-biohybrid design establishes a robust and efficient biocatalytic platform for biomass valorization into high-value-added chemicals, exhibiting promising scalability prospects for industrial implementation.