Engineering enzyme-displayed microbial cell surfaces and electrode surfaces for energy conversion and bioelectrosynthesis

• Grant number: 21/10307-2
• Support type: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Post-doctor
• Effective date (Start): March 01, 2022
• Effective date (End): August 23, 2022
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Chemistry - Physical-Chemistry
• Principal researcher: Frank Nelson Crespilho
• Grantee: Graziela Cristina Sedenho
• Supervisor abroad: Ariel Furst
• Home Institution: Instituto de Química de São Carlos (IQSC). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Carlos , SP, Brazil
• Research place: Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), United States
• Associated to the scholarship: 20/04796-8 - In situ and operando studies of metaloenzymes for energy conversion and fuel bioelectrosynthesis, BP.PD

Abstract

Redox enzymes displayed on microbial cell surfaces can exhibit improved stability and activity when compared to the purified enzymes. These features represent great advances in overcoming most limitations for practical application of some large-scale enzyme-based electrochemical systems, such as enzymatic fuel cells and bioelectrosynthesis systems. However, achieving high biocatalyst load, and fast and effective electron transfer between redox enzyme and electrode surface require deep understanding and precise engineering of the cell/redox enzyme/electrode interfaces. In this context, the main objective of this research project is to develop engineered electrode surfaces and microbial cell surfaces for displaying multicopper oxidases (MCOs) on their surfaces for obtaining high-performance bioelectrodes towards oxygen reduction and/or water oxidation reactions, which are applied to electrochemical energy conversion and bioelectrosynthesis. The proposed studies show the innovative applications of MCOs displayed on microbial cell surface as strategy to achieve longer operational stability and to avoid isolation and purification processes for enzyme isolation.