ATMOSPHERIC CARBON DIOXIDE UTILIZATION
Using bacterial formate dehydrogenases to develop new (bio)catalysts for carbon dioxide reduction

The global energy demand and the present high dependence on fossil fuels have caused an unprecedented increase in the Earth’s atmosphere carbon dioxide concentration. Its exponential and uncontrollable rise is responsible for large and unpredictable impacts on the world climate and for ocean acidification, thus, being a major concern for the ecosystems and human’s daily life. On the other hand, the carbon dioxide abundance and low cost make it an interesting source for the production of chemical feedstocks and fuels. Yet, the thermodynamic and kinetic stability of the carbon dioxide molecule makes its utilization a laboratorial/industrially challenging task.
In this project, we propose to use the bacterial molybdenum and tungsten-containing formate dehydrogenase enzymes as a model to understand the mechanistic strategies and key chemical features needed to efficiently and specifically reduce carbon dioxide to formate. We want to understand the structure-activity relationships of the enzymes active site and the possible reaction mechanisms at atomic level. The information gathered will guide the development of new efficient (bio)catalysts for the atmospheric carbon dioxide utilization, to produce energy and chemical feedstocks, while reducing an important environmental pollutant.

People Involved
José J.G. Moura, Luisa Maia
Isabel Moura, Cristina Cordas

Publications
Molybdenum and tungsten-containing formate dehydrogenases: aiming to inspire a catalyst for carbon dioxide utilization
Maia L, Moura I, Moura JJG
Inorg Chim Acta (2017) 455:350-363
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ica.2016.07.010

Reduction of carbon dioxide by a molybdenum-containing formate dehydrogenase: a kinetic and mechanistic study
Maia L, Fonseca L, Moura I, Moura JJG
J Am Chem Soc(2016) 138:8834–8846
http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/jacs.6b03941

Molybdenum and tungsten-dependent formate dehydrogenases
Maia L, Moura JJG, Moura I
J Biol Inorg Chem (2015) 20:287-309
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00775-014-1218-2

Funding
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