Magnetizing Biotech–Advances in (In Vivo) Magnetic Enzyme Immobilization

Industrial biocatalysis, a multibillion dollar industry, relies on the selectivity and efficacy of enzymes for efficient chemical transformations. However, enzymes, evolutionary adapted to mild biological conditions, often struggle in industrial processes that require harsh reaction conditions, resulting in reduced stability and activity. Enzyme immobilization, which addresses challenges such as enzyme reuse and stability, has therefore become a vital strategy for improving enzyme use in industrial applications. Traditional immobilization techniques rely on the confinement or display of enzymes within/on organic or inorganic supports, while recent advances in synthetic biology have led to the development of solely biological in vivo immobilization methods that streamline enzyme production and immobilization. These methods offer added benefits in terms of sustainability and cost efficiency. In addition, the development and use of multifunctional materials, such as magnetic (nano)materials for enzyme immobilization, has enabled improved separation and purification processes. The combination of both “worlds,” opens up new avenues in both (industrial) biocatalysis, fundamental science, and biomedicine. Therefore, in this review, we provide an overview of established and recently emerging methods for the generation of magnetic protein immobilizates, placing a special focus on in vivo immobilization solutions.