A new oxygen sensitivity and its potential application in photosynthetic H₂ production

Abstract

We have discovered a new competitive pathway for O₂ sensitivity in algal H₂ production that is distinct from the O₂ sensitivity of hydrogenase per se. This O₂ sensitivity is apparently linked to the photosynthetic H₂ production pathway that is coupled to proton translocation across the thylakoid membrane. Addition of the proton uncoupler carbonyl cyanide-p-trifluoromethoxy-phenylhydrazone eliminates this mode of O₂ inhibition on H₂ photoevolution. This newly discovered inhibition is most likely owing to background O₂ that apparently serves as a terminal electron acceptor in competition with the H₂ production pathway for photosynthetically generated electrons from water splitting. This O₂-sensitive H₂ production electron transport pathway was inhibited by 3[3,4-dichlorophenyl]1,1-dimethylurea. Our experiments demonstrated that this new pathway is more sensitive to O₂ than the traditionally known O₂ sensitivity of hydrogenase. This discovery provides new insight into the mechanism of O₂ inactivation of hydrogenase and may contribute to the development of a more-efficient and robust system for photosynthetic H₂ production.