Bioelectrosynthesis of value-added compounds: enzyme-displayed microbial cell surfaces and biomimetics metal-polypeptides complex

• Grant number: 23/04158-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Doctorate
• Start date: September 01, 2023
• End date: August 31, 2024
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Chemistry - Physical-Chemistry
• Principal Investigator: Frank Nelson Crespilho
• Grantee: Jessica Crivelaro Pacheco
• Supervisor: Ariel Furst
• Host Institution: Instituto de Química de São Carlos (IQSC). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Carlos , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), United States
• Associated to the scholarship: 20/15098-0 - Bioelectrosynthesis of value-added compounds from atmospheric nitrogen and carbon dioxide, BP.DR

Abstract

The development of biocatalysts for the bioelectrosynthesis of value-added compounds such as formate and ammonia has attracted great attention in the field of bioelectrochemistry. In addition to being highly efficient at room temperature and atmospheric pressure, biocatalysts are environmentally sustainable. The microbial surface display system can overcome some limitations of biocatalysts by using genetic engineering to redesign cell surfaces with functional proteins and peptides, which, when fused with anchoring proteins, maintain their spatial structure and biological activity independently. The objective of this project is to develop modified electrode surfaces and microbial cell exteriors to anchor enzymes on their surfaces to obtain high-performance bioelectrodes for N2 and CO2 reduction. Another goal is to develop metal-polypeptide biomimetic catalysts for formate and ammonia production. Thereby, this proposal aims to unite knowledge from the laboratory of Professor Crespilho (USP) and Professor Furst (MIT) to advance the development of stable and highly efficient biocatalysts that lead to catalytic promotion of the above reactions. (AU)