Advances in formate dehydrogenase for carbon dioxide reduction

The reduction and resource utilization of CO2 are important means to alleviate greenhouse effects. Biocatalysts, with high selectivity for reactions and substrates, are used to build efficient CO2 reduction systems. Among them, formate dehydrogenase (FDH), especially those β-nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+)-dependent/metal cofactor (W or Mo) FDH are able to reversibly reduce CO2 to formate. Herein, the characteristics and classification of formate dehydrogenase were summarized. The active sites and catalytic mechanism of formate dehydrogenase for CO2 reduction, molecular modification of the enzyme, and the latest progress in the whole-cell biocatalysis were discussed. The review provides a great enlightenment and guidance for the future research of FDH for CO2 reduction, as well as a theoretical basis for the construction of feasible CO2 refining systems with CO2 as raw materials to produce value-added fuels and chemicals. © 2023 Fine Chemicals. All rights reserved.