Dr. Cathleen Zeymer and her team have made an exciting breakthrough in the field of biocatalysis, as highlighted in their recent article published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society (JACS). The research, for which I created the cover art, introduces a novel type of enzyme that harnesses the power of cerium and light to perform chemical reactions.
This innovative enzyme, dubbed "PhotoLanZyme," is not found in nature but was engineered from scratch using computational design. The scientists took inspiration from natural lanthanide-binding proteins and created a protein scaffold that can tightly bind cerium, a relatively abundant element in the Earth's crust. When exposed to visible light, this cerium-protein complex can catalyze the breaking of carbon-carbon bonds in certain molecules, a reaction that is challenging to achieve under mild conditions.
The team demonstrated that their artificial enzyme could cleave various compounds, including some that resemble components of lignin, a major constituent of wood. They also showed that the enzyme could be displayed on the surface of bacterial cells, paving the way for potential whole-cell biocatalysis applications.
What makes this work particularly significant is that it combines the emerging field of cerium photoredox catalysis with the precision and selectivity of enzymes. This approach could lead to more environmentally friendly and efficient ways of producing valuable chemicals or breaking down complex molecules like lignin. The researchers' ability to engineer and improve the enzyme through protein modifications also opens up possibilities for further enhancements in activity and selectivity.
See https://pubs.acs.org/doi/full/10.1021/jacs.4c04618 or https://chemrxiv.org/engage/chemrxiv/article-details/65df6debe9ebbb4db97bc992 for more