Understanding Carbon Metabolism in Hydrogen Production by PNS Bacteria

摘要

In biological hydrogen production systems, a thorough understanding of the metabolism of the plays a vital role in assessing and improving efficiency and productivity. This is especially the case for purple non-sulphur (PNS) bacteria, in which the hydrogen production metabolism is the result of the complex interplay of several systems and components such as the photosystems, carbon flow and enzymatic reactions (Figure 1). So while the PNS bacteria have been noted for their hydrogen production capabilities from a wide selection of substrates, enhancing the hydrogen yields and productivities still remains a challenge due to this complex and versatile metabolism [1]. In particular, the comparison of hydrogen productivities and conversion efficiencies of even simple substrates such as sugars and small organic acids points to significant differences in the utilization manner of different substrates. Accordingly, more insight is needed into the carbon utilization patterns of these species.