Development of Catalytic Materials Based on the Stabilization of Organophosphorus Hydrolase in Organic Solvents

Organophosphates (OPs) are a class of acutely toxic nerve agents that have frequently been employed in chemical warfare and as pesticides. Recent events around the globe involving these chemicals – including the reported use of VX and sarin gas on civilians – combined with the 3 million annual cases of pesticide poisoning demonstrate the need to develop methods for effective degradation of and protection against exposure to OPs. Organophosphorus hydrolase (OPH) is an enzyme that has been shown to efficaciously degrade OPs, making OPH a promising building block for a functional catalytic material. However, many materials processing techniques require the use of organic solvents, in which OPH denatures and precipitates.
Inspired by natural chaperons, we developed a random heteropolymer (RHP) comprising different chemical moieties with complementary interactions to OPH to encapsulate and stabilize the protein in organic media. Complexation with the RHP renders OPH soluble and stable in organic solvents, allowing the enzyme to retain more than 80% of its activity. Kinetic and spectroscopic analysis indicated minimal changes to the enzyme’s binding efficiency and structure. Stabilization in organic solvents allowed us to develop electrospun catalytic fibers capable of degrading OPs.