Team:ShanghaitechChina/Description
The combination of artificial and biological photosynthesis has shown great efficiency in recent work with M. thermoacetica-CdS hybrid system to produce acetic acid (acetyl-coenzyme A) [1]. Our project is inspired by this solar-to-chemical synthesis and we call our project as Solar Hunter. Rather than using biologically precipitated CdS nanoparticals, Hunter will exploit the proteins on the biofilm to bind CdS or other compatible quantum dots. The protein that came into our sight is pili, the microbial nanowire[2]. The wire can be expressed in genetically manipulated strains as long wires with binding sites for quantum dots. With the more space made for more quantum dots, we expect a boost in the energy of light harvested by our Solar Hunter. In addition, Hunter will include a pathway for leucine synthesis from acetate (acetyl-coenzyme A)[3], since leucine is of higher value.
The solar source in the solar-chemical system is, in its essence, energy with electrons. In an attempt to apply our quantum dots-pili hybrid to a wider extent, we decide to try out this model on another amazing archaea, Methanosaeta barundinacea, which is likely to have a pathway to simply use carbon dioxide, electrons and protons for the biosynthesis of methane[4].
Our Hunter family member can be just a protein as well. Nitrogenase complex is the central enzyme in the natural nitrogen-fixing process. Previous researches have demonstrated the viability of the using semiconductor-protein hybrid to harvest electrons from sunlight as a substitute for the Fe protein in the complex where electrons are generated from ATP. [5] Aiming to construct a well-established nitrogen fixation platform, we will explore the possibility of an increase in the efficiency of the system using Hunter’s pili, mediated by Spytag and Spycatcher system.These three parallel systems should altogether build a powerful Hunter family to bring the endless energy from the sun for the good of mankind.
[1] 10.1126/science.aad3317 [2] 10.1016/j.bioelechem.2010.07.005 [3] 10.1128/JB.01841-07 [4] 10.1039/Energy Environ.Sci.c3ee42189a [5] 10.1126/science.aaf2091
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