Background: Research for a novel endo-hydrogenase enzyme in purple non-sulfur phonsynthethic bacteria able to produce and output hydrogen gas at sustained high rates when coupled to photophosphorylation in phototrophic cultures has been long sought after. Attempts have been made to genetically reconfigure the gene-set encoding of endo-hydrogenase; whereby enhancing endo-hydrogenase activity for in vivo hydrogen gas production. Distinguishable results from research on direct in vivo conversion of light energy into H2 gas as a biofuel has recently come to light at UCSC. Technology Description: UC Santa Cruz researcher discovered a novel endo-hydrogenase enzyme in purple non-sulfur photosynthethic bacteria able to produce and output hydrogen gas at sustained high rates when coupled to photophosphorylation in phototrophic cultures. UCSC researcher has also demonstrated the ability to genetically reconfigure the gene-set encoding this endo-hydrogenase and to thereby externally control expression of these genes and thus endo-hydrogenase activity for in vivo hydrogen gas production and evolution in phototrophic cultures. This discovery constitutes proof-of-concept for the direct in vivo conversion of light energy into H2 gas as a renewable biofuel from a continuous photosynthetic process. Applications: Biofuels
Conversion of light energy into renewable biofuel.