Investigating the Link between Fermentative Metabolism and Hydrogen Production in the Unicellular Green Alga Chlamydomonas Reinhardtii

S. J. Burgess, P. J. Nixon

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contribution

Abstract

In the model green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, the electrons required for hydrogen production can come from both the biophotolysis of water and from the fermentation of carbohydrate reserves. Anoxia leads to the activation of several fermentative pathways, which produce a number of end products including formic, malic and acetic acid along with ethanol, carbon dioxide and hydrogen. It has been proposed that by switching off competing fermentative pathways hydrogen production can be increased. Therefore the aim of this study was to devise an experimental strategy to down-regulate the expression of enzymes thought to control C. reinhardtii's fermentative metabolism. We demonstrate here that it is possible to use artificial microRNA (amiRNA) technology to generate knock-down mutants with reduced expression of pyruvate formate lyase (PFL1), a key fermentative enzyme in C. reinhardtii. This work opens up new possibilities to improve hydrogen yields through metabolic engineering.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Title of host publicationHydrogen Production Technologies - Part 1
EditorsDetlef Stolten, Thomas Grube
PublisherForschungszentrum Julich GmbH
Pages111-116
Number of pages6
ISBN (Electronic)9783893366521
StatePublished - 2010
Externally publishedYes
Event18th World Hydrogen Energy Conference, WHEC 2010 - Essen, Germany
Duration: May 16 2010May 21 2010

Publication series

Name18th World Hydrogen Energy Conference 2010, WHEC 2010, Proceedings
Volume2

Conference

Conference18th World Hydrogen Energy Conference, WHEC 2010
Country/TerritoryGermany
CityEssen
Period5/16/105/21/10

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Energy Engineering and Power Technology
  • Fuel Technology
  • Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment

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