Cell-Free Synthetic Biology Chassis for Nanocatalytic Photon-to-Hydrogen Conversion

ACS Nano. 2017 Jul 25;11(7):6739-6745. doi: 10.1021/acsnano.7b01142. Epub 2017 Jun 14.

Abstract

We report on an entirely man-made nano-bio architecture fabricated through noncovalent assembly of a cell-free expressed transmembrane proton pump and TiO2 semiconductor nanoparticles as an efficient nanophotocatalyst for H2 evolution. The system produces hydrogen at a turnover of about 240 μmol of H2 (μmol protein)-1 h-1 and 17.74 mmol of H2 (μmol protein)-1 h-1 under monochromatic green and white light, respectively, at ambient conditions, in water at neutral pH and room temperature, with methanol as a sacrificial electron donor. Robustness and flexibility of this approach allow for systemic manipulation at the nanoparticle-bio interface toward directed evolution of energy transformation materials and artificial systems.

Keywords: cell-free expression; hydrogen; nanodisc TiO2 nanoparticles; noncovalent assembly; proton pump; purple membranes; solar-to-fuel energy conversion.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Bacteriorhodopsins / chemistry*
  • Catalysis
  • Halobacterium salinarum / chemistry*
  • Hydrogen / chemistry*
  • Immobilized Proteins / chemistry*
  • Light
  • Models, Molecular
  • Nanostructures / chemistry
  • Nanostructures / ultrastructure
  • Nanotechnology / methods
  • Photons*
  • Purple Membrane / chemistry
  • Quantum Dots / chemistry*
  • Quantum Dots / ultrastructure
  • Synthetic Biology / methods
  • Titanium / chemistry*
  • Water / chemistry

Substances

  • Immobilized Proteins
  • Water
  • titanium dioxide
  • Bacteriorhodopsins
  • Hydrogen
  • Titanium