{
  "id": 7690972,
  "title": "Carboxysome-Inspired Protein Coacervates for Light-Driven CO2 Reduction and H2 Evolution",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/15/carboxysome-inspired-protein-coacervates-for-light-driven-co2",
  "topic": "science",
  "section": "Science",
  "published": "2026-09-15T00:00:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "bioRxiv",
    "slug": "biorxiv",
    "url": "https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.09.14.751539v1?rss=1"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Photosynthetic bacteria utilize compartmentalization within organelles, like carboxysomes, to efficiently fix carbon. Scientists have now created a photocatalytic reaction compartment that traps artificial metalloenzyme, carbon dioxide, and a photosensitizer through liquid-liquid phase separation triggered by a cationic polypeptide, deca(L-arginine) (R10). At low R10 concentrations, the enzyme's alpha-helical structure intensifies, boosting cytochrome b5622(-22). Higher R10 concentrations induce electrostatic complexation, forming spherical droplets that concentrate the protein, cobalt cofactor, and photosensitizer. Illumination boosts hydrogen evolution by 1.9-fold and CO formation from carbon dioxide by 1.3-fold compared to the solution-phase system. Encapsulating carbonic anhydrase within the coacervates shifts product distribution: CO production triples, hydrogen evolution drops to 0.70 mol, and CO selectivity rises to 77%. These findings reveal bioinspired coacervates can stabilize reactive intermediates, concentrate substrates, and integrate various catalytic functions, offering a versatile framework for synthetic organelles driven by light.",
  "summary": "Efficient catalysis often requires high local concentrations of reactants and catalysts, which cells achieve through compartmentalization within organelles, such as carboxysomes, that increase the efficiency of bacterial carbon fixation. Here, we engineered a photocatalytic reaction compartment that concentrated an artificial metalloenzyme, carbon dioxide, and a photosensitizer by liquid-liquid…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}