Imidazolium-based ionic liquids support biosimilar flavin electron transfer
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d4ma00558a.pdf
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Accepted version
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Author(s)
Anderson, Grace I
Agee, Alec A
Furst, Ariel L
Date Issued
August 27, 2024
Journal
Materials Advances
Publisher
Royal Society of Chemistry
Citation
Mater. Adv., 2024,5, 6813-6819
Version
Final published version
Abstract
Understanding electron transport with electroactive microbes is key to engineering effective and scalable bio-electrochemical technologies. Much of this electron transfer occurs through small-molecule flavin mediators that perform one-electron transfers in abiotic systems but concerted two-electron transfer in biological systems, rendering abiotic systems less efficient. To boost efficiency, the principles guiding flavin electron transfer must be elucidated, necessitating a tunable system. Ionic liquids (ILs) offer such a platform due to their chemical diversity. In particular, imidazolium-containing ILs that resemble the amino acid histidine are bio-similar electrolytes that enable the study of flavin electron transfer. Using the model IL 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium ([Emim][BF4]), we observe concerted two-electron transfer between flavin mononucleotide and an unmodified glassy carbon electrode surface, while a one-electron transfer occurs in standard inorganic electrolytes. This work demonstrates the power of ILs to enable the mechanistic study of biological electron transfer, providing critical guidelines for improving electrochemical technologies based on these biological properties.
MIT Department
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Chemical Engineering
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Center for Environmental Health Sciences
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DOI of Published Version
https://doi.org/10.1039/d4ma00558a
