Enhanced thermal stability of laccase immobilized on monolayer-modified nanoporous Au

Nanoporous Au was fabricated by the dealloying of Au-Ag alloy in nitric acid, and was modified with a self-assembled monolayer (SAM) of 4-aminothiophenol, for the enhancement of high-temperature activity of immobilized laccase. Immobilized laccase exhibited much higher activity than that of free laccase at > 45 °C. SAM surface modification greatly improved the thermal stability and reusability of immobilized laccase. For example, little degradation in laccase activity when immobilized on SAM-modified nanoporous Au was observed after 2 h incubation at 50 °C. This suggested the nanoporous structure and SAM synergistically prevented the conformational change of laccase, and resulted in the enhancement of high-temperature activity.