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Nanoenzyme is a kind of nano material with enzyme like properties. These artificial enzymes are more active than natural enzymes and have been applied in biotechnology. The cavity of cyclodextrin mimics the hydrophobic receptor of enzyme and can bind with substrate. Several OH groups on the edge of the cavity can be used as catalytic groups for various reactions. The first studies in 1960s and 1970s confirmed the hydrolytic activity of cyclodextrin. For example, in 60% DMSO, the deacetylation degree of m-tert-butyl acetate was increased by 13000 times.

In addition to hydrolases, several other enzymes were simulated by introducing catalytic part into cyclodextrin. Nowadays, "nano enzyme" has replaced the traditional expression methods, such as enzyme modeling, inclusion catalysis, cyclodextrin based artificial enzyme.

This topic is still very interesting. In recent years, cyclodextrin nanoreactors as the main structure of artificial enzymes have attracted special attention. A number of research groups have been working on the synthesis of novel supramolecular enzyme mimics, including artificial enzymes based on metal free cyclodextrins and artificial metalloenzymes composed of cyclodextrins that regulate organometallic factors. These cyclodextrin based catalysts mimic enzymes such as oxidase, reductase, dehydrogenase, esterase, transaminase, glycosidase, protease and nuclease. For example, the artificial metal oxidase is a glycosidase which contains copper, zinc and iron, cyclodextrin diacid and phenol as the catalytic group. And glutathione peroxidase, such as 2,2 '- selenium - (2-deoxy - β - cyclodextrin). Another recently published example is the manganese porphyrin - α - cyclodextrin complex, which is used as an artificial enzyme for the epoxidation of polybutadiene.