Utilization of free and immobilized Desulfovibrio hydrogenase in hydrogen photoproduction : Coupling efficiency of cytochrome C3, ferredoxin and flavodoxin

Immobilization of isolated and cellular hydrogenase of D. desulfuricans in radiation-polymerized polyacrylamides

Purified hydrogenase from Desulfovibrio desulfuricans was immobilized either by entrapment or absorption onto porous neutral and charged acrylamide beads. Surface absorption and crosslinking on the beads resulted in a high hydrogenase activity and a good immobilization coefficient compared to the enzyme and whole cells entrapped in the same matrix. Maximum enzyme activity (citrate-phosphate buffer) was shifted to pH 6.5 upon immobilization in contrast to 6.0 for the free enzyme and the range of 6-7 for whole cells. Both the purified enzyme and whole cells were most active when held in neutral matrices. Immobilization improved the temperature stability (65 degrees C) and long term storage (4 degrees C) of the hydrogenase activity of both the purified enzyme and whole cells.

Bidirectional measurement of hydrogenase activity by the pH-stat method

The protons produced by the catalytic activity of hydrogenase in H2 evolution from dithionite-reduced methyl viologen or through benzyl viologen reduction by H2 gas are automatically titrated by a pH-stat device. This approach allows the measurement of hydrogenase activity and ensures the constancy of pH during the reaction in absence of buffers. Kinetic assays and pH and temperature-dependence experiments with Desulfovibrio gigas hydrogenase performed by this method basically confirm the results obtained with customary manometric assay.