Enhancing hydrogen production of microalgae by redirecting electrons from photosystem I to hydrogenase

Abstract

Photohydrogen generation in microalgae is catalysed by hydrogenases, which receive electrons from photosystem I via the ferredoxin PETF. The dominant acceptor of photosynthetic electrons is, however, ferredoxin-NADP⁺-oxidoreductase (FNR). By utilizing targeted ferredoxin and FNR variants in a light-dependent competition assay, electrons can be redirected to the hydrogenase yielding a five-fold enhanced hydrogen evolution activity.