Long thought to have no biological role, lanthanides have been shown recently to be essential enzyme cofactors in certain bacteria. Understanding the coordination chemistry underlying biological recognition of lanthanides promises to yield new strategies for the selective detection, extraction, and separation of rare earths. I will describe my laboratory’s work providing the first biochemical insights into how lanthanides are selectively recognized in biological systems, including the discovery and characterization of lanmodulin, the first selective, natural macrochelator for lanthanides. I will also present case studies illustrating how we can apply the principles learned from the biophysical and mechanistic characterization of lanmodulin and other lanthanide-binding biomolecules for the development of novel, robust, and efficient biotechnologies for separations of rare earths and actinides.

Lessons learned in selective recognition and separation of f-elements from natural lanthanide-binding proteins

ACS Spring 2022

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