Beta-glucosidase (betaG) can relieve the product inhibition of cellobiose in the cellulosic ethanol production by converting cellobiose into glucose. For the potential recycled uses, betaG was immobilized and stabilized in the form of enzyme coating on polymer nanofibers. The betaG coating (EC-betaG) was fabricated by crosslinking additional betaG molecules onto covalently attached betaG molecules (CA-betaG) via glutaraldehyde treatment. The initial activity of EC-betaG was 36 times higher than that of CA-betaG. After 20 days of incubation under shaking, CA-betaG and EC-betaG retained 33 and 91% of each initial activity, respectively. Magnetic nanofibers were also used for easy recovery and recycled uses of betaG coating. It is anticipated that the recycled uses of highly active and stable betaG coating can improve the economics of cellulosic ethanol production so long as economical materials are employed as a host of enzyme immobilization.

HeLa cells were patterned on a microfabricated Au-coated ITO substrate. Part of the Au film was dissolved by the electrochemical wet stamping technique, and the substrate was then immersed in a thiol-terminated methoxy-poly(ethylene glycol) (mPEG-SH) solution for further modification. Self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) on the gold island can form cell- and protein-resistant regions on the substrate, and living HeLa cells can adhere to the exposed ITO surface. Single cell patterns could be achieved when the size of a microstructure unit matched that of the cell. The fluorescence experiments further proved that living HeLa cells prefer to attach to the ITO substrate rather than the mPEG-SH-modified gold islands.