Hydrogenases are nature's efficient catalysts for both the generation of energy via oxidation of molecular hydrogen and the production of hydrogen via the reduction of protons. However, their O2 sensitivity and deactivation at high potential limit their applications in practical devices, such as fuel cells. Here, we show that the integration of an O2-sensitive hydrogenase into a specifically designed viologen-based redox polymer protects the enzyme from O2 damage and high-potential deactivation. Electron transfer between the polymer-bound viologen moieties controls the potential applied to the active site of the hydrogenase and thus insulates the enzyme from excessive oxidative stress. Under catalytic turnover, electrons provided from the hydrogen oxidation reaction induce viologen-catalysed O2 reduction at the polymer surface, thus providing self-activated protection from O2. The advantages of this tandem protection are demonstrated using a single-compartment biofuel cell based on an O2-sensitive hydrogenase and H2/O2 mixed feed under anode-limiting conditions.

Photosystem 1 (PS1) triggers the most energetic light-induced charge-separation step in nature and the in vivo electron-transfer rates approach 50 e(-)  s(-1)  PS1(-1). Photoelectrochemical devices based on this building block have to date underperformed with respect to their semiconductor counterparts or to natural photosynthesis in terms of electron-transfer rates. We present a rational design of a redox hydrogel film to contact PS1 to an electrode for photocurrent generation. We exploit the pH-dependent properties of a poly(vinyl)imidazole Os(bispyridine)2Cl polymer to tune the redox hydrogel film for maximum electron-transfer rates under optimal conditions for PS1 activity. The PS1-containing redox hydrogel film displays electron-transfer rates of up to 335±14 e(-)  s(-1)  PS1(-1), which considerably exceeds the rates observed in natural photosynthesis or in other semiartificial systems. Under O2 supersaturation, photocurrents of 322±19 μA cm(-2) were achieved. The photocurrents are only limited by mass transport of the terminal electron acceptor (O2). This implies that even higher electron-transfer rates may be achieved with PS1-based systems in general.

The enzyme Trametes hirsuta laccase undergoes direct electron transfer at unmodified nanoporous gold electrodes, displaying a current density of 28 A/cm 2 . The response indicates that ThLc was immobilised at the surface of the nanopores in a manner which promoted direct electron transfer, in contrast to the absence of a response at unmodified polycrystalline gold electrodes. The bioelectrocatalytic activity of ThLc modified nanoporous gold electrodes was strongly dependent on the presence of halide ions. Fluoride completely inhibited the enzymatic response, whereas in the presence of 150 mM Cl -, the current was reduced to 50% of the response in the absence of Cl -. The current increased by 40% when the temperature was increased from 20°C to 37°C. The response is limited by enzymatic and/or enzyme electrode kinetics and is 30% of that observed for ThLc co-immobilised with an osmium redox polymer. Keywords: Laccase, direct electron transfer, nanoporous gold 2 IntroductionElectron transfer (ET) reactions are ubiquitous in nature. Controlling the rate of these reactions can be of significant benefit in developing biochemical systems that utilise redox proteins and enzymes and in particular, in applications that provide power for implanted or portable electronic devices. ET can be achieved directly (direct electron transfer, DET) or by the use of mediators (mediated electron transfer, MET) to shuttle electrons between the redox centre of the enzyme and the electrode. However, mediators are unselective and can also give rise to interfering effects [1][2][3]. DET-based devices offer high selectivity and sensitivity due to the absence of mediators. In addition, devices based on DET operate at potentials close to the redox potential of the enzyme, maximising the potential difference between the cathode and anode for biofuel cell applications [2]. Moreover, DET can be used to provide detailed information on the kinetics and thermodynamics of the ET process. However, the low stability of the enzyme layer together with the long distances over which ET occurs, represent major obstacles for DET based devices. In addition, the shielding mechanism of the enzymatic redox centre by the protein shell can disrupt DET [2,4]. One approach in optimizing and enabling rapid DET is to design the electrode surface with an architecture which promotes efficient rates of ET. In this way the electrode morphology ensures the most efficient orientation of the enzymatic redox centre and facilitates communication with the electroactive surface. Porous electrodes can be used to encapsulate the enzyme within a network of cavities, shortening the distance for electron transfer to the redox active site, which will promote more efficient and rapid rates of electron transfer [5]. However, the number of redox enzymes capable of interacting directly with the electrode while catalyzing the enzymatic reaction is limited, with estimates of approximately 5% of all enzymes exhibiting such a response [6].DET in enzymes was first described in 1978 fo...

The improvement of Z-scheme inspired biophotovoltaics is achieved by fine tuning the properties of redox hydrogels applied as immobilization and electron conducting matrices for the photosystem-protein complexes. The formal potentials of the redox hydrogels are adjusted to the respective redox sites in the photosystems for optimized electron transfer without substantial voltage loss. The anode is based on photosystem 2 (PS2) integrated in a phenothiazine modified redox hydrogel with a formal potential of -1 mV vs. SHE, which is 59 mV more positive than the QB acceptor site in PS2. The cathode is based on photosystem 1 (PS1) contacted via an Os-complex based redox hydrogel with a formal potential of 395 mV vs. SHE, i.e. 28 mV more negative than the primary P700 electron acceptor of PS1. The potential difference between the two redox hydrogels is 396 mV. An open circuit voltage (VOC) of 372.5 ± 2.1 mV could be achieved for the biophotovoltaic cell. The maximum power output is 1.91 ± 0.56 μW cm(-2) and the conversion efficiency (η) is 4.5 × 10(-5), representing a 125-fold improvement in comparison to the previously proposed device exploiting the photosynthetic Z-scheme for electrical energy production.

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