Silicon Biotechnology

虽然20世纪90年代中期公布的数据表明，有机硅和蛋白质是不相容的，但最近的研究表明，关于有机硅对蛋白质影响的概括并不一定有害。事实上，有机硅可以在不变性的情况下与蛋白质相互作用，在某些情况下，已经观察到有机硅与蛋白质之间的协同作用。在体外，蛋白水解酶胰酶甚至可以催化烷氧基硅烷转化为无机二氧化硅。虽然大自然已经进化了许多处理硅-氧键的系统，但硅和其他原子之间的生物介导键几乎是未知的，包括硅-碳键的形成。使用生物技术在硅原子和氧以外的原子之间建立键的能力将彻底改变硅化学领域。 硅相关化学中使用的许多催化体系和试剂具有固有的毒性或对环境的负面影响。我们希望开发替代的、更环保的方法，利用生物技术在硅中心或附近进行反应。拟议研究方案的长期目标是扩大生物介导性硅烷反应的范围，并为合成含硅化合物开发其他绿色路线。为此，我们将采取三种方法：建立一个可以在硅中心或附近使用生物技术进行的反应库；充分了解生物可以对硅基化合物进行化学处理的机制，以更好地定制生物技术，并将这些知识应用于有机硅聚合物的合成和生物降解。

Although data presented in the mid 1990s suggested that silicones and proteins were incompatible, more recent research has demonstrated that generalizations regarding the effects of silicones on proteins are not necessarily detrimental. In fact, silicones can interact with proteins without denaturing them, and in some cases a cooperative interaction between silicone and proteins has been observed. The proteolytic enzyme trypsin can even catalyze the conversion of alkoxysilanes to inorganic silica in vitro. Although Nature has evolved many systems that process Si-O bonds, biologically-mediated bonds between silicon and other atoms are virtually unknown, including the formation of a Si-C bond. The ability to make bonds between silicon atoms and atoms other than oxygen using biotechnology would revolutionize the field of silicon chemistry. Many catalytic systems and reagents employed in silicon-related chemistry have inherent toxicities or negative environmental implications. We wish to develop alternate, 'greener' methodologies for performing reactions at or near silicon centres using biotechnology. It is the long-term objective of the proposed research programme to extend the scope of biologically mediated silicone reactions and to develop other green routes for the synthesis of silicon containing compounds. To this end, we will take three approaches: to develop a library of reactions that can be performed at or near silicon centres using biotechnology; to fully understand the mechanisms by which biology can perform chemistry on silicon-based compounds to better tailor the biotechnological techniques, and to apply this knowledge to the synthesis and biodegradation of silicone polymers.