Immobilization of adenosine derivatives onto cellulose nanocrystals via click chemistry for biocatalysis applications

Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) is a central molecule of organisms and is involved in many biological processes. It is also widely used in biocatalytic processes, especially as a substrate and precursor of many cofactors─such as nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADP(H)), coenzyme A (CoA), and S-adenosylmethionine (SAM). Despite its great scientific interest and pivotal role, its use in industrial processes is impeded by its prohibitory cost. To overcome this limitation, we developed a greener synthesis of adenosine derivatives and efficiently selectively grafted them onto organic nanoparticles. In this study, cellulose nanocrystals were used as a model combined with click chemistry via a copper-catalyzed azide/alkyne cycloaddition reaction (CuAAC). The grafted adenosine triphosphate derivative fully retains its biocatalytic capability, enabling heterobiocatalysis for modern biochemical processes.