Artificial Cascade Ionozyme for the Direct Conversion of CO2 to Glycine

Abstract

Glycine serves as a crucial element in basic metabolic processes and acts as a precursor in the production of numerous industrial chemicals. Here we developed a streamlined artificial cascade enzyme catalysis pathway for converting CO₂ into glycine through improving the CO₂ activation and employing direct C–C condensation. After the optimization of enzyme combinations and dose-dependent regulation, the integration of reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide regeneration and ionic liquids were introduced and facilitated the construction of an artificial cascade ionozyme catalysis system. Consequently, the glycine yield reached a remarkable 17.87-fold increase compared to that of the initial reaction system. Additional molecular simulations further demonstrated that the ionozyme possessed enhanced structural stability and substrate affinity, as indicated by an increase in hydrogen bonds and a diminished interference from water molecules in protein–ligand binding. This innovative approach holds great promise for sustainable CO₂ bioconversion to glycine and other valuable chemicals.