Study on novel hydrogenase which produces molecular hydrogen from metal iron

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26870360
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Functional biochemistry; Applied microbiology
• Research Institution: Kobe University
• Principal Investigator: WAKAI Satoshi 神戸大学, 自然科学系先端融合研究環重点研究部, 特命助教 (50545225)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: ヒドロゲナーゼ / 微生物 / 金属 / 腐食 / メタン生成菌 / 水素 / 酵素 / 微生物腐食

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In this work, I tried to clarify the function and conformation of novel hydrogenase from iron-corrosive methane producing archaeon Methanococcus maripaludis KA1. Although we could not purify it and determine the X-ray structure, I succeeded to determine the optimal condition of molecular hydrogen production from metal iron and simulate the structure by calculation using MOE (Molecular Operating Environment) program. The optimal condition was similar to growth condition of this microorganism. The simulation by MOE indicated the possibility that a small subunit has especially unique structure compared with known structure of homologous hydrogenase. In the future, I will perform heterologous expression of the hydrogenase in non-corrosive methane producing archaeon and electrochemical experiment focused on the small subunit in order to clarify the interaction between this hydrogenase and metal material.

Free Research Field

農学