Issue 17, 2024

Imidazolium-based ionic liquids support biosimilar flavin electron transfer

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.

Graphical abstract: Imidazolium-based ionic liquids support biosimilar flavin electron transfer

Associated articles

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
31 May 2024
Accepted
26 Jul 2024
First published
06 Aug 2024
This article is Open Access
Creative Commons BY-NC license

Mater. Adv., 2024,5, 6813-6819

Imidazolium-based ionic liquids support biosimilar flavin electron transfer

G. I. Anderson, A. A. Agee and A. L. Furst, Mater. Adv., 2024, 5, 6813 DOI: 10.1039/D4MA00558A

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