Development of Manganese Artificial Metalloprotein for Hydrogen Bioelectrosynthesis

• Grant number: 24/17911-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: December 01, 2024
• End date: November 30, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Chemistry - Physical-Chemistry
• Principal Investigator: Graziela Cristina Sedenho
• Grantee: Raul Graziosi Ortiz
• Host Institution: Instituto de Química de São Carlos (IQSC). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Carlos , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The bioelectrocatalytic production of hydrogen using metalloenzymes is limited to the hydrogenase enzymes. These enzymes efficiently catalyze the reversible reduction of protons to molecular hydrogen (H2) under acidic conditions. However, one of the main limitations of hydrogenase enzymes is the deactivation by O2 presence and application of high potentials. These experimental issues, which hinder their practical application, can be overcome through the development of artificial enzymes. This undergraduate research project aims to contribute to frontier research in the field of hydrogen bioproduction reactions using apo-reconstituted protein with manganese porphyrin (Mn+2/Mn+3). The goal is to contribute to the advance of bioelectrocatalysis field for hydrogen production using artificial biomolecules.