MiniSOG as a biodegradable heterogeneous photocatalyst for coupled redox biotransformations

Abstract

Visible-light photocatalysis has emerged as a powerful strategy to drive chemical reactions under mild conditions, often in tandem with biocatalysts to achieve one-pot cascades. In this work, we demonstrate that the photocatalytic flavoprotein miniSOG, originally engineered as a genetically encoded singlet oxygen generator, can be repurposed as a heterogeneous photocatalyst. By immobilizing miniSOG as cross-linked enzyme aggregates (CLEAs), we enable controlled in situ production of hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) and NADH regeneration, facilitating both oxidative and reductive biotransformations.