Production of a high-conversion hydrogen production system using hyperthermophiles

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19H02871
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 38020:Applied microbiology-related
• Research Institution: Toyama Prefectural University (2021-2022); Kyoto University (2019-2020)
• Principal Investigator: Kanai Tamotsu 富山県立大学, 工学部, 教授 (10346083)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: キチン / アーキア / 超好熱菌 / 水素

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The cytosolic hydrogenase gene disruption strain prepared from the Thermococcus kodakarensis KC04ΔtM1 strain showed a significant increase in H2 production as well as in the ratio of H2 production to the amount of chitin consumed. On the other hand, construction of the genetic system in Pyrococcus chitonophagus enabled the author to obtain a gene-disrupted mutant that lacks each three chitinase gene. As a result, ChiA was identified to be the most important enzyme for chitinolysis. Moreover, a new chitinolytic pathway consisting of GlcNAc kinase and GlcNAc-6 phosphate deacetylase was identified in P. chitonophagus.

Free Research Field

生物工学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

超好熱菌Thermococcus kodakarensisを用いた水素生産システムにおいて水素変換効率を向上させた株を取得できたことは、化石燃料に依存しない新たな水素生産系の実用化に向けた大きな成果といえる。さらにはPyrococcus chitonophagusのキチン資化経路の解析により、新規な経路の存在が予想されたことから、広範囲な基質の利用が可能なシステムの構築に繋がることが予想される。