# Harnessing Electroactive Bacteria for Microbial Redox Catalysis

> **NIH NIH R35** · UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN · 2021 · $378,994

## Abstract

Abstract
Biological catalysts are powerful tools for the synthesis of therapeutic materials and small
molecules. Nevertheless, they are typically limited to native metabolic transformations conducted
by well-defined enzymes. We hypothesize that the reaction space amenable to microbial catalysis
can be extended by coupling respiratory electron flux from electroactive bacteria to redox-active
transition metal catalysts in a process we term microbial redox catalysis (MRC). To address our
hypothesis and highlight the advantages of MRC, we will use the model electroactive bacterium
Shewanella oneidensis to control several reactions relevant to the medical industry. First, we will
expand and optimize MRC living radical polymerization for a variety of monomers and metal
catalysts. Next, we will use MRC to affect the dehalogenation of important pharmaceutical
precursors. Finally, we will leverage MRC to enhance Palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling
reactions. Overall, our program will combine the mechanism-driven design of synthetic catalysts
with the tunability of microbial catalysts to provide new synthetic routes for a variety of health-
relevant materials and molecules.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10240588
- **Project number:** 5R35GM133640-03
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN
- **Principal Investigator:** BENJAMIN KEITH KEITZ
- **Activity code:** R35 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $378,994
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2019-09-01 → 2024-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10240588

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10240588, Harnessing Electroactive Bacteria for Microbial Redox Catalysis (5R35GM133640-03). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10240588. Licensed CC0.

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