Where Does an Enzyme Reside in a Bicontinuous Structure?

Abstract

Using enzymes as catalysts in biochemical processes requires to bring them into close contact with the substrates to be processed. For oil-soluble substrates and water soluble enzymes this might be achieved by bringing the water and oil phase in a bicontinuous microemulsion into close contact. In this contribution we review two possible scenarios of how the enzyme and the interface influence each other. Small angle neutron scattering (SANS) and neutron spin echo spectroscopy (NSE) act as a microscope to look into the details of the interfacial region of microemulsions.