Context: Researchers have demonstrated that visible light can activate enzymes in microbes, speeding up biochemical reactions and enabling efficient production of useful chemicals and drugs through photobiocatalysis.
- Enzymes are biological catalysts present in living organisms that speed up chemical reactions without being consumed in the process.
- Traditionally, enzyme activity depends on natural conditions, but scientists have discovered that light can also be used to control and accelerate these reactions.
- This leads to photobiocatalysis, a technique in which light energy is used to activate enzymes and drive specific chemical reactions.
- The idea is inspired by photosynthesis, where plants use sunlight (400–700 nm range) to convert carbon dioxide into glucose, showing how light can power biochemical processes.
- Scientists apply similar principles artificially by using microbial biotechnology, where microbes like bacteria and yeast act as tiny factories to produce useful substances.
- Among these, E. coli is widely used because it grows quickly, is easy to modify genetically, and can produce a wide range of chemicals and proteins.
- Through gene transfer techniques, scientists insert specific genes into microbes, enabling them to produce desired compounds such as medicines or industrial materials.
- As a result, this approach enables the light-driven production of pharmaceuticals (including anti-cancer drugs), polymers, and other industrial chemicals, making manufacturing more efficient and sustainable.
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