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Influence of Fermentation Reactions on Continuous Hydrogen Photoproduction by Microalga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii under Sulfur Deficiency

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Abstract

The study investigated the effect of the major fermentation enzyme, pyruvate formate lyase, on hydrogen photoproduction by green microalga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii under mineral deprivation. Cultures of the wild type (CC-125) and mutant pfl1 without pyruvate formate lyase activity were incubated on a medium without sulfur in the sealed photoreactors under constant illumination for 96 h. During the experiment, accumulation of hydrogen in a gas phase of photoreactors and factors affecting hydrogen production, such as photosynthetic activity, respiration, and starch content, in cells were assessed. Both strains showed similar photosynthetic activity and starch content when cultivated in the complete medium. Under sulfur depletion, the cultures of the pfl1 mutant began to evolve hydrogen later than the wild type; however, this process lasted much longer in the mutant. The pfl1 cultures showed higher rates of starch accumulation and breakdown during the initial and late stages of sulfur deprivation, respectively. Moreover, the mutant was characterized by higher photosynthetic activity at the later stage of deprivation. The obtained results indicate close relationships between photosynthetic electron transport, hydrogenase reaction, carbohydrate metabolism and fermentation process, pointing to the prospect of using genetic engineering to modify fermentation reactions in order to improve photosynthetic hydrogen production in biotechnology.

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Funding

The research was funded by the Russian Science Foundation, project number 20-64-46018. The results obtained by using fluorescence methods were carried out with support of the Scientific Project of Moscow State University, no. 121032500058-7.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biophysics, Faculty of Biology, Moscow State University, 119234, Moscow, Russia

    A. A. Volgusheva, E. V. Petrova & G. P. Kukarskikh

  2. Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Córdoba, Edif. Severo Ochoa, Campus de Rabanales, 14071, Córdoba, Spain

    A. Dubini

  3. Laboratory of Integrated Environmental Research, Pskov State University, 180000, Pskov, Russia

    T. K. Antal

Authors
  1. A. A. Volgusheva
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  2. E. V. Petrova
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  3. G. P. Kukarskikh
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  4. A. Dubini
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  5. T. K. Antal
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to A. A. Volgusheva.

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This article does not contain any studies involving animals or human participants performed by any of the authors.

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The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest.

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Translated by V. Mittova

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Volgusheva, A.A., Petrova, E.V., Kukarskikh, G.P. et al. Influence of Fermentation Reactions on Continuous Hydrogen Photoproduction by Microalga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii under Sulfur Deficiency. Moscow Univ. Biol.Sci. Bull. 77, 25–31 (2022). https://doi.org/10.3103/S0096392522010060

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