Periodic Reporting for period 3 - ARTIBLED (Engineered ARTIficial proteins for Biological Light-Emitting Diodes)
Reporting period: 2022-10-01 to 2024-12-31
ARTIBLED has proposed a three-step innovative approach to forge new artificial fluorescent proteins (AFPs) to enhance Bio-WLEDs meeting the technology needs for lighting. This project realized by a highly interdisciplinary consortium comprising experts in Synthetic Biology, Organic Chemistry, Biocomputational, Theory, Photophysics, Hybrid Optoelectronics, and Industrial Bio-technology. CICbiomaGUNE has genetically modified protein scaffolds, while the UNITO has focused on the synthesis of new LED emitters. They were supported by TU Graz/CSIC for theoretical and computation simulations and TUM for spectroscopic measurements and coating fabrication. TUM has taken over device fabrication and optimization, while ABIEL has focused on the upscale production of proteins. As such, the first steps of ARTIBLED was focused on designing suitable LED emitters and protein scaffolds using synthesis, spectroscopic and computational tools. Two family of emitters were investigated achieving photoluminescence quantum yields >80% and >40 % for green and red emitters, respectively. The photo-induced degradation in polymer matrices was fully studied, identifiying several suitable proteins-polymer combinations. Out of this efforts, UNITO/TUM/CSIC has explored up to 80 candidates selected in terms of photoluminescence quantum yields and photostabilities, while CIC/TUGraz/CSIC have designed a robust computational approach to redefine the protein scaffolds to host a variety of LED emitters reaching high photostabilities and no loss of the photoluminescence quantum yield. Overall, this resulted in devices meeting the expectations in terms of photostabilities (>1500 h). Finally, UNITO/ABIEL estabslihed with the up-scaling studies of LED emitters and protein scaffolds,reaching a 98 % reduction cost of the protein.
As far as the scientific gains are concerned, ARTIBLED has established an innovative designs of highly luminescence bio-hybrids using de novo proteins, modified LED emitters and new guidelines to replace natural emitters by new ones. Up to date, there is no rational design of proteins for tailored emitter suitable for lighting applications.Herein we have developed novel artificial fluorescent proteins with remarkable photophysical features covering the visible range. The AFPs were, in addittion, embedded into matrices to develop bio-phosphors towards the generation of new highly stable, low-cost, sustainable, and healthy bio-hybrid white light-emitting diodes operating under low and high powers. Up to date, bio-phosphors based on fluorescent proteins have been limited by the FP stability related to the chromophore deactivation under constant irradiation. ARTIBLED has overcome this limitation. Finally, our efforts were rounded by an efficient transfer of the laboratory protocols to industrial production (gr/day) redefining the recombinant protein strategies towards artificial fluorescent proteins. Thus, ARTIBLED has been an unique opportunity to demonstrate the mature stage of Synthetic Biology towards providing a solution to a critical problem for the sustainability of WLEDs. Overall, this technology spans from the use of the artificial protein for lighting to their use in microscopy as biomarkers and to protein-polymer coatings for photon manipulation.
In a nutshell, ARTIBLED has reached the mature knowledge towards providing a solution to a critical problem for the sustainability of WLEDs, including design rules and production of artificial protein for lighting, in particular, and to their use in microscopy as biomarkers and to protein-polymer coatings for photon manipulation, in general. ARTIBLED has also taked over the cost-reduction, optimization of the eco-efficiency of the AFP (component and protein) as well as the final coating and device. This will reduce materials depletion, while adding to the economic independence from fossil fuels and raw materials used in other energy tech. relying on non-EU countries in line with the EU Materials 2030 Manifesto. As major field of application, the illumination market has reached >90 billion € with ca. 29 billion € in EU focused on LEDs based on the color down-converting technology (energy and cost saving of >14 billion €/year). Our results are a game-changing view in protein-LEDs that have already shown promising performances in terms of stability/efficiency and scalability. Further improvements will represent an excellent stepping-stone for the global lighting market transformation from a rare-earth-dependent to a sustainable bio-economy. Owing to their biogenic origin and eco-efficient processes, it is expected no societal/environmental barrier, becoming an excellent supporting tech./initiative in the frame of EU Climate Pact and Green Transition Pact.