Bioinspired nanozymes are promising in mimicking natural processes and developing function-enhanced architectures. However, constructing artificial enzyme systems with catalytic efficiencies rivaling that of natural enzymes in a minimal principle is challenging. Herein, we report the construction of minimal metallo-nanozymes through amino acid coordinated self-assembly by using amino acid derivatives and zinc (II) ions as the building blocks, reminiscent of the components of the catalytic architectures in natural hydrolases. The obtained metallo-nanozymes possess high and robust activity comparable to that of natural lipase in catalytically hydrolyzing phenyl acetate. In addition, catalytic performance of the metallo-nanozymes can be facilely optimized by changing the ratio between the building blocks and the introduction of additional biomolecules. The metallo-nanozymes also show catalytic activity in producing acetylsalicylic acid through the hydrolyzation of a prodrug, benorilate. This work highlights the minimal principle and excellent catalytic performance of stable metallo-nanozymes, opening up immense opportunities in the development of highly efficient nanozymes and catalytic prodrug conversion.

受生物启发的纳米酶有望模仿自然过程并开发功能增强的体系结构。然而，以最小的原理构建具有与天然酶相当的催化效率的人工酶系统是具有挑战性的。在这里，我们报告了通过使用氨基酸衍生物和锌（II）离子作为结构单元，通过氨基酸协调的自组装，构建最小的金属纳米酶，让人联想到天然水解酶中催化结构的组成部分。所获得的金属纳米酶在催化水解乙酸苯酯方面具有与天然脂肪酶相当的高且稳定的活性。此外，通过改变结构单元之间的比例和引入其他生物分子，可以轻松地优化金属纳米酶的催化性能。金属纳米酶还通过前药苯甲酸酯的水解产生乙酰水杨酸的催化活性。这项工作强调了稳定的金属纳米酶的最低原理和出色的催化性能，为开发高效纳米酶和催化前药转化提供了巨大的机会。