Rational design of 3-D electroenzymatic electrodes comprising novel enzymatic cascade and NADP(H) cofactor regeneration
Rational design of 3-D electroenzymatic electrodes comprising novel enzymatic cascade and NADP(H) cofactor regeneration
Electroenzymatic processes combine the high selectivity of enzymes as biocatalysts with the electrochemical regeneration of their cofactors. This holds potential for the development of new biotechnological processes for fine and bulk chemicals. In this project, which is embedded in the priority programme of the German Research Foundation "Bioelectrochemical and Engineering Foundations for Establishing Electrobiotechnology for Biosynthesis - Power to Value-added Products (eBiotech) (SPP 2240), the current bottlenecks of electroenzymatic processes such as product scale, productivity and efficiency of cofactor regeneration are addressed. The aim is to design porous 3-D enzymatic electrodes incorporating a novel enzymatic cascade with electrochemical nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NAD(P)H) cofactor regeneration. Model enzymatic cascade with chiral lactones as target compounds, which can also serve as polymer precursors will be considered. Electrochemical regeneration of cofactors is a promising but also difficult approach. The main challenge lies in the selectivity and stability of the electrochemical cofactor regeneration systems as well as in their productivity. In this project, a novel electrochemical system for cofactor regeneration will be developed. This will later be integrated with a novel enzymatic cascade in a bioelectrochemical reactor in collaboration with Prof. Bornscheuer's group. An overview of the project and the contributions of the groups of the MPI and the University of Greifswald is shown below.
Funding: DFG
Collaborations:
Prof. Bornscheuer, University of Greifswald
Selected recent publications:
[1] Vidaković-Koch T, Habilitation Thesis, Otto von Guericke University, Magdeburg, 2018, doi: 10.25673/14087.08.02.
[2] Vidakovic-Koch, T., Electron Transfer Between Enzymes and Electrodes, in Bioelectrosynthesis, F. Harnisch and D. Holtmann, Editors. 2019, Springer International Publishing: Cham. p. 39-85.
[3] Varničić, M., Zasheva, I.N., Haak, E., Sundmacher, K., and Vidaković-Koch, T., Selectivity and Sustainability of Electroenzymatic Process for Glucose Conversion to Gluconic Acid. Catalysts, 2020. 10(3): p. 269.