diff --git a/internal/trie/node/branch.go b/internal/trie/node/branch.go
index 09005d2723..ead394b801 100644
--- a/internal/trie/node/branch.go
+++ b/internal/trie/node/branch.go
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ type Branch struct {
 	// from the node stored in the database.
 	dirty      bool
 	hashDigest []byte
-	Encoding   []byte
+	encoding   []byte
 	// generation is incremented on every trie Snapshot() call.
 	// Nodes that are part of the trie are then gradually updated
 	// to have a matching generation number as well, if they are
diff --git a/internal/trie/node/branch_encode.go b/internal/trie/node/branch_encode.go
index 6520e234be..76700cc567 100644
--- a/internal/trie/node/branch_encode.go
+++ b/internal/trie/node/branch_encode.go
@@ -76,8 +76,8 @@ func (b *Branch) hash(digestBuffer io.Writer) (err error) {
 // Encode encodes a branch with the encoding specified at the top of this package
 // to the buffer given.
 func (b *Branch) Encode(buffer Buffer) (err error) {
-	if !b.dirty && b.Encoding != nil {
-		_, err = buffer.Write(b.Encoding)
+	if !b.dirty && b.encoding != nil {
+		_, err = buffer.Write(b.encoding)
 		if err != nil {
 			return fmt.Errorf("cannot write stored encoding to buffer: %w", err)
 		}
diff --git a/internal/trie/node/branch_encode_test.go b/internal/trie/node/branch_encode_test.go
index 60be03aa18..54504665bf 100644
--- a/internal/trie/node/branch_encode_test.go
+++ b/internal/trie/node/branch_encode_test.go
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ func Test_Branch_Encode(t *testing.T) {
 	}{
 		"clean branch with encoding": {
 			branch: &Branch{
-				Encoding: []byte{1, 2, 3},
+				encoding: []byte{1, 2, 3},
 			},
 			writes: []writeCall{
 				{ // stored encoding
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ func Test_Branch_Encode(t *testing.T) {
 		},
 		"write error for clean branch with encoding": {
 			branch: &Branch{
-				Encoding: []byte{1, 2, 3},
+				encoding: []byte{1, 2, 3},
 			},
 			writes: []writeCall{
 				{ // stored encoding
diff --git a/internal/trie/node/copy.go b/internal/trie/node/copy.go
index ef5d599eb9..a90be5a680 100644
--- a/internal/trie/node/copy.go
+++ b/internal/trie/node/copy.go
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ func (b *Branch) Copy() Node {
 		Value:      nil,
 		dirty:      b.dirty,
 		hashDigest: make([]byte, len(b.hashDigest)),
-		Encoding:   make([]byte, len(b.Encoding)),
+		encoding:   make([]byte, len(b.encoding)),
 		generation: b.generation,
 	}
 	copy(cpy.Key, b.Key)
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ func (b *Branch) Copy() Node {
 	}
 
 	copy(cpy.hashDigest, b.hashDigest)
-	copy(cpy.Encoding, b.Encoding)
+	copy(cpy.encoding, b.encoding)
 	return cpy
 }
 
@@ -43,12 +43,12 @@ func (l *Leaf) Copy() Node {
 		Value:      make([]byte, len(l.Value)),
 		dirty:      l.dirty,
 		hashDigest: make([]byte, len(l.hashDigest)),
-		Encoding:   make([]byte, len(l.Encoding)),
+		encoding:   make([]byte, len(l.encoding)),
 		generation: l.generation,
 	}
 	copy(cpy.Key, l.Key)
 	copy(cpy.Value, l.Value)
 	copy(cpy.hashDigest, l.hashDigest)
-	copy(cpy.Encoding, l.Encoding)
+	copy(cpy.encoding, l.encoding)
 	return cpy
 }
diff --git a/internal/trie/node/hash.go b/internal/trie/node/hash.go
index 5fefe928dd..ac8a584572 100644
--- a/internal/trie/node/hash.go
+++ b/internal/trie/node/hash.go
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ import (
 // SetEncodingAndHash sets the encoding and hash slices
 // given to the branch. Note it does not copy them, so beware.
 func (b *Branch) SetEncodingAndHash(enc, hash []byte) {
-	b.Encoding = enc
+	b.encoding = enc
 	b.hashDigest = hash
 }
 
@@ -30,8 +30,8 @@ func (b *Branch) GetHash() []byte {
 // If the encoding is less than 32 bytes, the hash returned
 // is the encoding and not the hash of the encoding.
 func (b *Branch) EncodeAndHash() (encoding, hash []byte, err error) {
-	if !b.dirty && b.Encoding != nil && b.hashDigest != nil {
-		return b.Encoding, b.hashDigest, nil
+	if !b.dirty && b.encoding != nil && b.hashDigest != nil {
+		return b.encoding, b.hashDigest, nil
 	}
 
 	buffer := pools.EncodingBuffers.Get().(*bytes.Buffer)
@@ -45,9 +45,9 @@ func (b *Branch) EncodeAndHash() (encoding, hash []byte, err error) {
 
 	bufferBytes := buffer.Bytes()
 
-	b.Encoding = make([]byte, len(bufferBytes))
-	copy(b.Encoding, bufferBytes)
-	encoding = b.Encoding // no need to copy
+	b.encoding = make([]byte, len(bufferBytes))
+	copy(b.encoding, bufferBytes)
+	encoding = b.encoding // no need to copy
 
 	if buffer.Len() < 32 {
 		b.hashDigest = make([]byte, len(bufferBytes))
diff --git a/internal/trie/node/leaf.go b/internal/trie/node/leaf.go
index 59202829a9..3aab730cbb 100644
--- a/internal/trie/node/leaf.go
+++ b/internal/trie/node/leaf.go
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ type Leaf struct {
 	// from the node stored in the database.
 	dirty      bool
 	hashDigest []byte
-	Encoding   []byte
+	encoding   []byte
 	encodingMu sync.RWMutex
 	// generation is incremented on every trie Snapshot() call.
 	// Nodes that are part of the trie are then gradually updated
diff --git a/internal/trie/node/leaf_encode.go b/internal/trie/node/leaf_encode.go
index b203d7d9f0..291b45ae40 100644
--- a/internal/trie/node/leaf_encode.go
+++ b/internal/trie/node/leaf_encode.go
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ import (
 // given to the branch. Note it does not copy them, so beware.
 func (l *Leaf) SetEncodingAndHash(enc, hash []byte) {
 	l.encodingMu.Lock()
-	l.Encoding = enc
+	l.encoding = enc
 	l.encodingMu.Unlock()
 	l.hashDigest = hash
 }
@@ -38,9 +38,9 @@ func (l *Leaf) GetHash() []byte {
 // is the encoding and not the hash of the encoding.
 func (l *Leaf) EncodeAndHash() (encoding, hash []byte, err error) {
 	l.encodingMu.RLock()
-	if !l.IsDirty() && l.Encoding != nil && l.hashDigest != nil {
+	if !l.IsDirty() && l.encoding != nil && l.hashDigest != nil {
 		l.encodingMu.RUnlock()
-		return l.Encoding, l.hashDigest, nil
+		return l.encoding, l.hashDigest, nil
 	}
 	l.encodingMu.RUnlock()
 
@@ -58,10 +58,10 @@ func (l *Leaf) EncodeAndHash() (encoding, hash []byte, err error) {
 	l.encodingMu.Lock()
 	// TODO remove this copying since it defeats the purpose of `buffer`
 	// and the sync.Pool.
-	l.Encoding = make([]byte, len(bufferBytes))
-	copy(l.Encoding, bufferBytes)
+	l.encoding = make([]byte, len(bufferBytes))
+	copy(l.encoding, bufferBytes)
 	l.encodingMu.Unlock()
-	encoding = l.Encoding // no need to copy
+	encoding = l.encoding // no need to copy
 
 	if len(bufferBytes) < 32 {
 		l.hashDigest = make([]byte, len(bufferBytes))
@@ -87,8 +87,8 @@ func (l *Leaf) EncodeAndHash() (encoding, hash []byte, err error) {
 // NodeHeader | Extra partial key length | Partial Key | Value
 func (l *Leaf) Encode(buffer Buffer) (err error) {
 	l.encodingMu.RLock()
-	if !l.dirty && l.Encoding != nil {
-		_, err = buffer.Write(l.Encoding)
+	if !l.dirty && l.encoding != nil {
+		_, err = buffer.Write(l.encoding)
 		l.encodingMu.RUnlock()
 		if err != nil {
 			return fmt.Errorf("cannot write stored encoding to buffer: %w", err)
@@ -122,8 +122,8 @@ func (l *Leaf) Encode(buffer Buffer) (err error) {
 	// and the sync.Pool.
 	l.encodingMu.Lock()
 	defer l.encodingMu.Unlock()
-	l.Encoding = make([]byte, buffer.Len())
-	copy(l.Encoding, buffer.Bytes())
+	l.encoding = make([]byte, buffer.Len())
+	copy(l.encoding, buffer.Bytes())
 	return nil
 }
 
diff --git a/internal/trie/node/leaf_encode_test.go b/internal/trie/node/leaf_encode_test.go
index fdac0713c8..61eb78ad9b 100644
--- a/internal/trie/node/leaf_encode_test.go
+++ b/internal/trie/node/leaf_encode_test.go
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ func Test_Leaf_Encode(t *testing.T) {
 	}{
 		"clean leaf with encoding": {
 			leaf: &Leaf{
-				Encoding: []byte{1, 2, 3},
+				encoding: []byte{1, 2, 3},
 			},
 			writes: []writeCall{
 				{
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ func Test_Leaf_Encode(t *testing.T) {
 		},
 		"write error for clean leaf with encoding": {
 			leaf: &Leaf{
-				Encoding: []byte{1, 2, 3},
+				encoding: []byte{1, 2, 3},
 			},
 			writes: []writeCall{
 				{
@@ -153,7 +153,7 @@ func Test_Leaf_Encode(t *testing.T) {
 			} else {
 				require.NoError(t, err)
 			}
-			assert.Equal(t, testCase.expectedEncoding, testCase.leaf.Encoding)
+			assert.Equal(t, testCase.expectedEncoding, testCase.leaf.encoding)
 		})
 	}
 }
@@ -204,7 +204,7 @@ func Test_Leaf_hash(t *testing.T) {
 	}{
 		"small leaf buffer write error": {
 			leaf: &Leaf{
-				Encoding: []byte{1, 2, 3},
+				encoding: []byte{1, 2, 3},
 			},
 			writeCall: true,
 			write: writeCall{
@@ -217,7 +217,7 @@ func Test_Leaf_hash(t *testing.T) {
 		},
 		"small leaf success": {
 			leaf: &Leaf{
-				Encoding: []byte{1, 2, 3},
+				encoding: []byte{1, 2, 3},
 			},
 			writeCall: true,
 			write: writeCall{
@@ -226,7 +226,7 @@ func Test_Leaf_hash(t *testing.T) {
 		},
 		"leaf hash sum buffer write error": {
 			leaf: &Leaf{
-				Encoding: []byte{
+				encoding: []byte{
 					1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8,
 					1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8,
 					1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8,
@@ -250,7 +250,7 @@ func Test_Leaf_hash(t *testing.T) {
 		},
 		"leaf hash sum success": {
 			leaf: &Leaf{
-				Encoding: []byte{
+				encoding: []byte{
 					1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8,
 					1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8,
 					1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8,