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[FeFe]-hydrogenases as biocatalysts in bio-hydrogen production

  • Concepts in Catalysis
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Abstract

[FeFe]-hydrogenases catalyse H2 production at exceptionally high turnover numbers (up to 104 s−1). They are found in a variety of strict or facultative anaerobic microorganisms, such as bacteria of the genus Clostridium, Desulfovibrio, Thermotoga, and eukaryotes ranging from unicellular and coenobial green algae to anaerobic fungi, ciliates and trichomonads. Key to their activity is an organometallic centre, the H-cluster that cooperates tightly with the protein framework to reduce two protons into molecular hydrogen. The assembly of the catalytic site requires a specialised cellular mechanism based on the action of three other enzymes, called maturases: HydE, HydF and HydG. Recent advancements in the recombinant production of [FeFe]-hydrogenases have provided leaps forward in their exploitation in H2 production for clean energy storage. [FeFe]-hydrogenases have been used in several fermentative approaches where microorganisms are engineered to overexpress specific [FeFe]-hydrogenases to convert low-cost materials (e.g. wastes) into H2. [FeFe]-hydrogenases have also been proven to be excellent catalysts in different in vitro devices that can produce hydrogen directly from water, either via water electrolysis or via light-driven mechanisms, thus allowing the direct storage of solar energy into H2.

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Acknowledgements

S.M. acknowledges support from the Compagnia di San Paolo for participation in the Conference “Concepts in catalysis: from heterogeneous to homogeneous and enzymatic catalysis” held at Accademia dei Lincei in Rome on February 25–26 2016.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Torino, Via Accademia Albertina 13, 10123, Turin, Italy

    Simone Morra, Francesca Valetti & Gianfranco Gilardi

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  1. Simone Morra
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  2. Francesca Valetti
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  3. Gianfranco Gilardi
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Correspondence to Gianfranco Gilardi.

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Morra, S., Valetti, F. & Gilardi, G. [FeFe]-hydrogenases as biocatalysts in bio-hydrogen production. Rend. Fis. Acc. Lincei 28 (Suppl 1), 183–194 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12210-016-0584-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12210-016-0584-9

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