Recently, the research that conjugated azo compounds to proteins and imparted photo-responsiveness has had an impact. From these facts, it is expected that by introducing metal complexes having azo moieties into proteins, it will be possible to control the oxidation-reduction potential due to metals by light, but there have been few research examples to date. We have studied amino acid Schiff base Cu(II) complexes with unique synthetic methods (mechanochemical or microwave synthesis) and functionalities (photocatalytic, SOD, antibacterial activity). In that context, recent developments have led to computational chemistry predictions and experimental validation of conjugation to egg white lysozyme. Therefore, we aimed to impart photo-responsiveness to proteins by incorporating an azobenzene moiety with high quantum yield and photostability as a photoresponsive site into a Schiff base Cu(II) complex and conjugating it with lysozyme. In this talk, I will report on what has been clarified at present.

Takashiro Akitsu is Professor of Chemistry at Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science Division II, Tokyo University of Science, Japan since 2016. He graduated from Department of Chemistry, Osaka University in 1995. By studying crystal and electronic structures of chiral copper complexes, he obtained his Ph.D. from from Osaka University in 2000. Dr. Akitsu studied at the Institute for Protein Research (metalloproteins), Department of Chemistry, Keio University (photo and magnetic functional organic/inorganic hybrid compounds), and Department of Chemistry at Stanford University (physical and bioinorganic chemistry) before moving to Tokyo University of Science. He has published about 220 articles and book chapters. He has also served as an editorial board member and peer reviewer for many journals and was involved in the organizing committees for international conferences. His research field is inorganic coordination chemistry and crystalography. His research interest is hybrid materials of (Schiff base) metal complexes and other (photo-)funtional materials such as polymers, dyes or proteins.