Dr. Maria Ghirardi
National Renewable Energy Laboratory
Golden, CO

Friday, August 19, 2005
4:00 pm (CT)
5602 Beckman Institute

Abstract

The development of efficient biological systems for the direct photoproduction of H2 gas from water faces several challenges, the more serious of which is the sensitivity of the H2- evolving enzymes (hydrogenases) to O2, an obligatory by-product of photosynthesis. This sensitivity affects both hydrogenase gene transcription and post-transcriptional activity of the enzyme. My presentation will address recent studies from our laboratory addressing (a) the identification of factors required for the transcription of the algal hydrogenase genes, (b) molecular engineering efforts to prevent O2 access to the hydrogenase catalytic site, and (c) physiological partial inactivation of hydrogenase activity to create culture anaerobiosis and induce continuous hydrogen production in the light.