Biocatalyzed Artificial Photosynthesis: Visible Light-Driven Cofactor Regeneration Coupled With Redox Biocatalysis

Photosynthesis is a complex process in which green plants produce essential biological fuels using solar energy. Its unique features, such as environmental compatibility and near-unity quantum yield, have fascinated scientists and provided inspiration to improve the efficiency of solar cells and photoelectrochemical hydrogen production systems. On the other hand, recent interest has been expressed in redox enzymes that can catalyze complex synthesis reactions under mild conditions; conventional catalysts rarely accomplish this task. With recent advances in genomics and genetic engineering, the use of biocatalysis for industrial synthetic chemistry is growing rapidly. Most biocatalysts in current use, however, are limited to cofactor-independent enzymes that perform relatively simple chemistry. In comparison, cofactor-dependent enzymes are capable of accelerating much more complex reactions and catalyzing a large number of synthetically useful reactions. In this talk, I will discuss about how to regenerate cofactors using visible light to couple with redox enzymatic reactions. Many challenges are expected for the development of nanobiocatalytic assemblies to mimic natural photosynthesis, such as the formulation of light harvesting system suitable for photobioreactor application under solar light, the design of photosensitizer-redox enzyme coupled system. Biocatalyzed artificial photosynthesis will create a technological foundation for the efficient synthesis and production of fine chemicals utilizing solar energy.