Collaborative Research: Plug and Play Photosynthesis for RuBisCO Independent Fuels

虽然太阳能生物能源可能是一种丰富且对环境无害的能源，但由于二氧化碳转化为生物质的步骤缓慢，自然光合作用相对效率较低。该项目旨在通过将能量从正常的缓慢步骤转移到可能更有效的过程中来增加光合作用的能量捕获。该项目的第一个主要目标是证明由光合生物产生的电流形式的能量可以通过生物纳米线（biowires）从光合作用的能量捕获细胞传递到储存能量的“工厂细胞”。这项工作的第二个主要目标是证明工厂电池可以被设计成利用能量生产有用的燃料化合物。更广泛的影响：该项目将为生物能源研究的新方向奠定基础，有可能大幅提高太阳能捕获和储存的效率，同时培养在生物能源和生物技术新兴领域竞争所需的下一代科学家和工程师。该项目将证明能量可以作为生物电直接在细胞之间传递。此外，即将开发的生物线将作为未来的通用连接器，用于电连接不同类型的细胞，以创建新颖的功能性生物膜。在这个项目中构建的光合作用组件将作为原型，建立一个新的设计范式。除了这些好处，该项目将1)提供宝贵的资源来催化其他重要的研究项目，2)在与国家关键需求相关的技术领域培养本科生、研究生和博士后，3)建立富有成效的国际合作，4)传播与能源和生物技术的基础和应用研究与开发有关的信息。

While solar bioenergy is potentially an abundant and environmentally benign energy source, natural photosynthesis is relatively inefficient owing to slow steps in the conversion of carbon dioxide into biomass. This project seeks to increase energy capture by photosynthesis by diverting energy away from the normal slow steps to potentially more efficient processes. The first major goal of the project is to demonstrate that energy, in the form of electrical current produced by photosynthetic organisms, can be transmitted from a photosynthetic, energy capturing cell to an energy-storing "factory cell" via biological nanowires (biowires). The second major goal of the proposed work is to show that the factory cell can be engineered to use energy to produce useful fuel compounds. Broader Impacts: This project will create the foundation for new directions in bioenergy research, with potential for dramatic increases in the efficiency of solar energy capture and storage, while training the next generation of scientists and engineers needed to compete in emerging areas of bioenergy and biotechnology. The project will demonstrate that energy can be transferred directly between cells as bio-electricity. Furthermore, the biowire to be developed will serve as a future generic connector for electrically connecting distinct cell types to create novel, functional biofilms. The photosynthetic components constructed in this project will serve as prototypes to establish a new design paradigm. In addition to these benefits, the project will 1) provide valuable resources to catalyze other important research projects, 2) train undergraduate and graduate students and postdoctoral fellows in areas of technology relevant to critical national needs, 3) establish productive international collaborations, and 4) disseminate information relevant to basic and applied research and development in energy and biotechnology.