Artificial photosynthesis aims to produce fuels from solar energy using chemical processes. In semi-artificial photosynthesis, a hybrid approach is taken using both chemical and biotechnology components. We are developing hybrid systems, coupling light-harvesting nanoparticles to redox-enzymes (oxidoreductases) for photocatalysis.

Semi-artificial photosynthetic systems that use whole-cell biocatalyst like bacteria would be able to exploit the regenerative capabilities of the living cell. For this, electrons need to transfer from the nanoparticle into the periplasm or cytoplasm of the whole-cell biocatalyst. In collaboration with Prof. Butt from the University of East Anglia and Prof. Reisner from the University of Cambridge, we are studying whether this can be achieved using the metal-reducing pathway in Shewanella oneindensis. Key to this pathway is the protein complex, MtrCAB, which sits in the outer membrane and transports respiratory electrons from the periplasm to the extracellular environment. We are transferring photo-electrons to MtrCAB to create photocatalytic systems.

Key publications

2024

Zhang H., Jaenecke J., Bishara-Robertson I.L., Casadevall C., Redman H.J., Winkler M., Berggren G., Plumere N., Butt J.N., Reisner E. & Jeuken L.J.C. (2024), Semiartificial photosynthetic nanoreactors for H2 generation, Journal of the American Chemical Society 146(50): 34260-34264. DOI: 10.1021/jacs.4c12311

Robertson I.L., Zhang H., Reisner E., Butt J.N. & Jeuken L.J.C. (2024), Engineering of bespoke photosensitiser-microbe interfaces for enhanced semi-artificial photosynthesis, Chemical Science 15(26): 9893-9914. DOI: 10.1039/D4SC00864B

2023

Zhang H., Casadevall C., Wonderen J.H. van, Su L., Butt J.N., Reisner E. & Jeuken L.J.C. (2023), Rational design of covalent multiheme cytochrome‐carbon dot biohybrids for photoinduced electron transfer, Advanced Functional Materials 33(40): 2302204. DOI: 10.1002/adfm.202302204

2022

Piper S.E.H., Casadevall C., Reisner E., Clarke T.A., Jeuken L.J.C., Gates A.J. & Butt J.N. (2022), Photocatalytic removal of the greenhouse gas nitrous oxide by liposomal microreactors, Angewandte Chemie (International Edition) 61(41): e202210572. DOI: 10.1002/anie.202210572