Maximino Emerson

Engineering Photocatalysis in Photosystem I-Platinum Nanoparticle Biohybrid Enzymes

Harvesting solar energy to generate renewable fuels offers a sustainable path to meeting rising global energy demands. One promising strategy harnesses photosystem I (PSI), an evolutionarily optimized light-driven oxidoreductase central to oxygenic photosynthesis, in combination with platinum nanoparticles (PtNPs) to enable photocatalytic production of H2. Development of these systems can decouple energy production from local geological resources and decrease the environmental burden of mining and burning fossil fuels. I have taken a structural approach to elucidating the mechanisms of PtNP binding by PSI and photocatalysis of the overall system. I use this understanding to a.) inform optimization strategies of PSI-PtNP biohybrids, b.) expand the function of this system to drive alternative redox chemistry using sunlight and c.) maximize the incident solar light used to drive redox activity. This will allow for the efficient and clean production of a clean-burning fuel, highlight interactions relevant at the protein-nanoparticle interface in a wide array of applications, and demonstrate strategies for incorporating abiotic catalysts in enzymes.