Catalytic Amyloids: Turning Fibrils Into Biocatalysts

Amyloids have been regarded as the pathological entities behind neurodegenerative diseases for a long time. The discovery that they also play physiological roles together with their ability to form stable and ordered scaffolds opened the door for their applications in different fields. In this context, catalytic amyloids have emerged as a new class of nanomaterials, merging the efficiency of enzymes with the robustness of heterogeneous catalysts. Indeed, these systems exploit the self-assembly properties of amyloids while mimicking enzymatic functions by exposing catalytic moieties on their surface. In this review, we first provide an overview of the structural and functional properties of natural amyloids and their application in nanotechnology. Then, we survey the current state of art in the development of catalytic amyloids, based on bioinspired or de novo designed sequences. In both cases, the incorporation of specific functional groups provides the fibrils with catalytic functions. Finally, we illustrate the use of amyloid fibrils as platforms for enzyme immobilization. All the selected examples highlight the power of bridging amyloid structures and catalytic activities to shape innovative nanomaterials toward demanding needs.