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Kong Q, Zhu Z, Xu Q, Yu F, Wang Q, Gu Z, Xia K, Jiang D, Kong H. Nature-Inspired Thylakoid-Based Photosynthetic Nanoarchitectures for Biomedical Applications. SMALL METHODS 2024; 8:e2301143. [PMID: 38040986 DOI: 10.1002/smtd.202301143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2023] [Revised: 10/22/2023] [Indexed: 12/03/2023]
Abstract
"Drawing inspiration from nature" offers a wealth of creative possibilities for designing cutting-edge materials with improved properties and performance. Nature-inspired thylakoid-based nanoarchitectures, seamlessly integrate the inherent structures and functions of natural components with the diverse and controllable characteristics of nanotechnology. These innovative biomaterials have garnered significant attention for their potential in various biomedical applications. Thylakoids possess fundamental traits such as light harvesting, oxygen evolution, and photosynthesis. Through the integration of artificially fabricated nanostructures with distinct physical and chemical properties, novel photosynthetic nanoarchitectures can be catalytically generated, offering versatile functionalities for diverse biomedical applications. In this article, an overview of the properties and extraction methods of thylakoids are provided. Additionally, the recent advancements in the design, preparation, functions, and biomedical applications of a range of thylakoid-based photosynthetic nanoarchitectures are reviewed. Finally, the foreseeable challenges and future prospects in this field is discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qunshou Kong
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Wuhan Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430022, China
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, Wuhan, 430022, China
- Key Laboratory of Biological Targeted Therapy, The Ministry of Education, Wuhan, 430022, China
| | - Zhimin Zhu
- Shanghai Synchrotron Radiation Facility, Shanghai Advanced Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201204, China
- Shanghai Institute of Applied Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201800, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Qin Xu
- Shanghai Synchrotron Radiation Facility, Shanghai Advanced Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201204, China
| | - Feng Yu
- Shanghai Synchrotron Radiation Facility, Shanghai Advanced Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201204, China
| | - Qisheng Wang
- Shanghai Synchrotron Radiation Facility, Shanghai Advanced Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201204, China
| | - Zhihua Gu
- Shanghai Pudong TCM Hospital, Shanghai, 201205, China
| | - Kai Xia
- Shanghai Frontier Innovation Research Institute, Shanghai, 201108, China
- Xiangfu Laboratory, Jiashan, 314102, China
- Shanghai Stomatological Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200031, China
| | - Dawei Jiang
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Wuhan Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430022, China
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, Wuhan, 430022, China
- Key Laboratory of Biological Targeted Therapy, The Ministry of Education, Wuhan, 430022, China
| | - Huating Kong
- Shanghai Synchrotron Radiation Facility, Shanghai Advanced Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201204, China
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Chang YS, Yang HC, Chao L. Formation of Supported Thylakoid Membrane Bioanodes for Effective Electron Transfer and Stable Photocurrent. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2022; 14:22216-22224. [PMID: 35511069 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.2c04764] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The light-dependent reactions of photosynthesis use light energy to generate photoelectrons traveling through the thylakoid membranes (TMs). Extracting the photoelectrons from the TMs to form bioanodes can have various applications. Most studies focus on modifying the electrode materials to increase the collected photocurrent. Seldom studies have investigated how the orientation of the TMs influences photocurrent collection. In addition, the formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) during photosynthesis is a challenge for stable photocurrent generation. Here, we enhanced the photoelectron transfer from the TMs to electrodes by depositing expanded thylakoids as planar supported membranes onto an electrode. The high contact area between the external electrodes and TMs per unit mass of thylakoid allows the thylakoid to more effectively transfer electrons to the electrodes, thereby reducing the free electrons available for the ROS generation. We expanded the naturally stacked thylakoids into liposomes through osmotic pressure and dropcasted them onto an Au electrode. The electrochemical impedance measurement showed that the supported membrane bioanode formed by the expanded liposomes had a lower photoelectron transfer resistance. Additionally, we observed that the expanded TM bioanode provided a higher photocurrent and was more durable to air/water interfacial tension. These results suggest that the effective contact between the expanded TM and electrodes can lead to more efficient electron transfer and increase the system robustness. The photo fuel cell (PFC) made by the expanded TM bioanode had a higher open-circuit voltage than the one made by the stacked TM bioanode. Interestingly, we found that PFCs made of high-load TM bioanodes had fast photocurrent decay under continuous operation at high cell voltages. The poor contact of large numbers of TMs with the electrodes at the high-load TM bioanodes could cause more ROS accumulation and therefore decreased the operational stability, supporting the importance of effective contact between TMs and the electrodes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Shan Chang
- Department of Chemical Engineering, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan
| | - Hao-Cin Yang
- Department of Chemical Engineering, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan
| | - Ling Chao
- Department of Chemical Engineering, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan
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Lettieri S, Battaglino B, Sacco A, Saracco G, Pagliano C. A green and easy-to-assemble electrochemical biosensor based on thylakoid membranes for photosynthetic herbicides detection. Biosens Bioelectron 2022; 198:113838. [PMID: 34864246 DOI: 10.1016/j.bios.2021.113838] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2021] [Revised: 11/23/2021] [Accepted: 11/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
In this study, we report on an easy-to-assemble amperometric electrochemical biosensor incorporating thylakoid membranes for the detection of photosynthetic herbicides. These molecules interfere with the light-induced photosynthetic electron transport occurring at the level of the photosystems within the thylakoid membranes, thus reducing the current of the associated bioelectrode. Thylakoid membranes isolated from pea plants were adsorbed directly on a bare carbon paper working electrode and placed in the measurement cell in the absence of any electrochemical mediator, obtaining a fully environmental-friendly biodevice capable of photocurrent densities up to 14 μA/cm2. Three photosynthetic herbicides inhibiting Photosystem II and belonging to different chemical classes, namely diuron, terbuthylazine and metribuzin, were detected by measuring the electrode photocurrent, which decreased reproducibly in a concentration-dependent manner in a range between 10-7 - 5 × 10-5 M of each herbicide. The limit of detection for the three herbicides was between 4-6 × 10-7 M. Storage stability tests revealed for the biosensor a half-life longer than 15 days at 4 °C and full stability up to 4 months at -80 °C. This study provides a simple, environmental-friendly and cost-effective procedure for the fabrication of a mediatorless carbon paper-based electrochemical biosensor characterized by high photocurrents, long storage stability, reproducible detections and good sensitivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefania Lettieri
- Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT), Center for Sustainable Future Technologies - CSFT@POLITO, via Livorno, 60 - 10144 Torino, Italy.
| | - Beatrice Battaglino
- Politecnico di Torino, Applied Science and Technology Department-BioSolar Lab, Environment Park, Via Livorno 60, 10144, Torino, Italy.
| | - Adriano Sacco
- Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT), Center for Sustainable Future Technologies - CSFT@POLITO, via Livorno, 60 - 10144 Torino, Italy.
| | - Guido Saracco
- Politecnico di Torino, Applied Science and Technology Department-BioSolar Lab, Environment Park, Via Livorno 60, 10144, Torino, Italy.
| | - Cristina Pagliano
- Politecnico di Torino, Applied Science and Technology Department-BioSolar Lab, Environment Park, Via Livorno 60, 10144, Torino, Italy.
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Kim YJ, Hong H, Yun J, Kim SI, Jung HY, Ryu W. Photosynthetic Nanomaterial Hybrids for Bioelectricity and Renewable Energy Systems. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2021; 33:e2005919. [PMID: 33236450 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202005919] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2020] [Revised: 10/08/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Harvesting solar energy in the form of electricity from the photosynthesis of plants, algal cells, and bacteria has been researched as the most environment-friendly renewable energy technology in the last decade. The primary challenge has been the engineering of electrochemical interfacing with photosynthetic apparatuses, organelles, or whole cells. However, with the aid of low-dimensional nanomaterials, there have been many advances, including enhanced photon absorption, increased generation of photosynthetic electrons (PEs), and more efficient transfer of PEs to electrodes. These advances have demonstrated the possibility for the technology to advance to a new level. In this article, the fundamentals of photosynthesis are introduced. How PE harvesting systems have improved concerning solar energy absorption, PE production, and PE collection by electrodes is discussed. The review focuses on how different kinds of nanomaterials are applied and function in interfacing with photosynthetic materials for enhanced PE harvesting. Finally, the review analyzes how the performance of PE harvesting and stand-alone systems have evolved so far and its future prospects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yong Jae Kim
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Yonsei University, 50 Yonsei-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, 03722, South Korea
| | - Hyeonaug Hong
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Yonsei University, 50 Yonsei-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, 03722, South Korea
| | - JaeHyoung Yun
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Yonsei University, 50 Yonsei-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, 03722, South Korea
| | - Seon Il Kim
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Yonsei University, 50 Yonsei-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, 03722, South Korea
| | - Ho Yun Jung
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Yonsei University, 50 Yonsei-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, 03722, South Korea
| | - WonHyoung Ryu
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Yonsei University, 50 Yonsei-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, 03722, South Korea
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Hong H, Lee JM, Yun J, Kim YJ, Kim SI, Shin H, Ahn HS, Hwang SJ, Ryu W. Enhanced interfacial electron transfer between thylakoids and RuO 2 nanosheets for photosynthetic energy harvesting. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2021; 7:7/20/eabf2543. [PMID: 33980487 PMCID: PMC8115919 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abf2543] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2020] [Accepted: 03/29/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The harvesting of photosynthetic electrons (PEs) directly from photosynthetic complexes has been demonstrated over the past decade. However, their limited efficiency and stability have hampered further practical development. For example, despite its importance, the interfacial electron transfer between the photosynthetic apparatus and the electrode has received little attention. In this study, we modified electrodes with RuO2 nanosheets to enhance the extraction of PEs from thylakoids, and the PE transfer was promoted by proton adsorption and surface polarity characteristics. The adsorbed protons maintained the potential of an electrode more positive, and the surface polarity enhanced thylakoid attachment to the electrode in addition to promoting ensemble docking between the redox species and the electrode. The RuO2 bioanode exhibited a five times larger current density and a four times larger power density than the Au bioanode. Last, the electric calculators were successfully powered by photosynthetic energy using a RuO2 bioanode.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyeonaug Hong
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Yonsei University, Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea
| | - Jang Mee Lee
- Global Innovative Center for Advanced Nanomaterials (GICAN), School of Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia
| | - JaeHyoung Yun
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Yonsei University, Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea
| | - Yong Jae Kim
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Yonsei University, Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea
| | - Seon Il Kim
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Yonsei University, Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea
| | - HyeIn Shin
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Yonsei University, Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyun S Ahn
- Department of Chemistry, College of Science, Yonsei University, Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea
| | - Seong-Ju Hwang
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, College of Engineering, Yonsei University, Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea.
| | - WonHyoung Ryu
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Yonsei University, Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea.
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Meredith SA, Yoneda T, Hancock AM, Connell SD, Evans SD, Morigaki K, Adams PG. Model Lipid Membranes Assembled from Natural Plant Thylakoids into 2D Microarray Patterns as a Platform to Assess the Organization and Photophysics of Light-Harvesting Proteins. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2021; 17:e2006608. [PMID: 33690933 PMCID: PMC11476343 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202006608] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2020] [Revised: 01/14/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Natural photosynthetic "thylakoid" membranes found in green plants contain a large network of light-harvesting (LH) protein complexes. Rearrangement of this photosynthetic machinery, laterally within stacked membranes called "grana", alters protein-protein interactions leading to changes in the energy balance within the system. Preparation of an experimentally accessible model system that allows the detailed investigation of these complex interactions can be achieved by interfacing thylakoid membranes and synthetic lipids into a template comprised of polymerized lipids in a 2D microarray pattern on glass surfaces. This paper uses this system to interrogate the behavior of LH proteins at the micro- and nanoscale and assesses the efficacy of this model. A combination of fluorescence lifetime imaging and atomic force microscopy reveals the differences in photophysical state and lateral organization between native thylakoid and hybrid membranes, the mechanism of LH protein incorporation into the developing hybrid membranes, and the nanoscale structure of the system. The resulting model system within each corral is a high-quality supported lipid bilayer that incorporates laterally mobile LH proteins. Photosynthetic activity is assessed in the hybrid membranes versus proteoliposomes, revealing that commonly used photochemical assays to test the electron transfer activity of photosystem II may actually produce false-positive results.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophie A. Meredith
- School of Physics and Astronomy and The Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular BiologyUniversity of LeedsLeedsLS2 9JTUK
| | - Takuro Yoneda
- Graduate School of Agricultural Science and Biosignal Research CenterKobe UniversityRokkodaicho 1‐1, NadaKobe657‐8501Japan
| | - Ashley M. Hancock
- School of Physics and Astronomy and The Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular BiologyUniversity of LeedsLeedsLS2 9JTUK
| | - Simon D. Connell
- School of Physics and Astronomy and The Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular BiologyUniversity of LeedsLeedsLS2 9JTUK
| | - Stephen D. Evans
- School of Physics and Astronomy and The Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular BiologyUniversity of LeedsLeedsLS2 9JTUK
| | - Kenichi Morigaki
- Graduate School of Agricultural Science and Biosignal Research CenterKobe UniversityRokkodaicho 1‐1, NadaKobe657‐8501Japan
| | - Peter G. Adams
- School of Physics and Astronomy and The Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular BiologyUniversity of LeedsLeedsLS2 9JTUK
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Kim SI, Kim YJ, Hong H, Yun J, Ryu W. Electrosprayed Thylakoid-Alginate Film on a Micro-Pillar Electrode for Scalable Photosynthetic Energy Harvesting. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2020; 12:54683-54693. [PMID: 33226773 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.0c15993] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Direct harvesting of electricity from photosynthesis is highly desired as an eco-friendly and sustainable energy harvesting technology. Photosynthetic apparatuses isolated from plants, such as thylakoid membranes (TMs), are deposited on an electrode by which photosynthetic electrons (PEs) are collected from water splitting. To enhance PE collection efficiency, it is critical to increase the electrochemical interfaces between TMs and the electrode. Considering the size of TMs to be around a few hundred nanometer, we hypothesize that an array of micropillar-shaped (MP) electrode can maximize the TM/electrode interface area. Thus, we developed MP electrodes with different heights and investigated the electrospraying of TM-alginate mixtures to fill the gaps between MPs uniformly and conformally. The uniformity of the TM-alginate film and the interaction between the TM and the MP electrode were evaluated to understand how the MP heights and film quality influenced the magnitude of the PE currents. PE currents increased up to 2.4 times for an MP electrode with an A/R of 1.8 compared to a flat electrode, indicating increased direct contact interface between TMs and the electrode. Furthermore, to demonstrate the scalability of this approach, an array of replicated SU-8 MP electrodes was prepared and PE currents of up to 3.2 μA were monitored without a mediator under 68 mW/cm2. Finally, the PE current harvesting was sustained for 14 days without decay, demonstrating the long-term stability of the TM-alginate biophotoanodes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seon Il Kim
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Yonsei University, Yonsei-ro 50, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea
| | - Yong Jae Kim
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Yonsei University, Yonsei-ro 50, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyeonaug Hong
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Yonsei University, Yonsei-ro 50, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea
| | - JaeHyoung Yun
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Yonsei University, Yonsei-ro 50, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea
| | - WonHyoung Ryu
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Yonsei University, Yonsei-ro 50, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea
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