SEMINAR

The detrimental effects of the immense amount of carbon dioxide originating from fossil fuels have progressed beyond mere climate change to a global climate crisis. To address this problem, efforts to achieve what is colloquially known as “carbon neutrality”—aiming to suppress the net increase in carbon dioxide emissions—are essential. Considering the approximately 54 billion tons of carbon dioxide emissions that contribute to global warming annually, there is an urgent need for the development and practical application of innovative technologies. These technologies should be capable of either converting these carbons into useful materials or storing them stably for a considerably extended period.

In this presentation, we aim to explore the potential of emulating the capability of certain organisms that can naturally sequester atmospheric carbon dioxide through Wood-Ljungdahl (reductive acetyl-CoA) pathway. We will also discuss which biological catalysts are necessary for this implementation and what specific characteristics these catalysts must possess to be utilized in such carbon sequestration processes. Lastly, we will introduce various applications of enzyme reactions for carbon conversion, as proposed and pursued by our research laboratory.