Biohydrogen production of obligate anaerobic archaeon Thermococcus onnurineus NA1 under oxic conditions via overexpression of frhAGB-encoding hydrogenase genes

Abstract Background The production of biohydrogen (H2) as a promising future fuel in anaerobic hyperthermophiles has attracted great attention because H2 formation is more thermodynamically feasible at elevated temperatures and fewer undesired side products are produced. However, these microbes requ...

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Main Authors: Seong Hyuk Lee, Min-Sik Kim, Sung Gyun Kang, Hyun Sook Lee
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2019-02-01
Series:Biotechnology for Biofuels
Subjects:
Online Access:http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s13068-019-1365-3
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author Seong Hyuk Lee
Min-Sik Kim
Sung Gyun Kang
Hyun Sook Lee
author_facet Seong Hyuk Lee
Min-Sik Kim
Sung Gyun Kang
Hyun Sook Lee
author_sort Seong Hyuk Lee
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Background The production of biohydrogen (H2) as a promising future fuel in anaerobic hyperthermophiles has attracted great attention because H2 formation is more thermodynamically feasible at elevated temperatures and fewer undesired side products are produced. However, these microbes require anoxic culture conditions for growth and H2 production, thereby necessitating costly and time-consuming physical or chemical methods to remove molecular oxygen (O2). Therefore, the development of an O2-tolerant strain would be useful for industrial applications. Results In this study, we found that the overexpression of frhAGB-encoding hydrogenase genes in Thermococcus onnurineus NA1, an obligate anaerobic archaeon and robust H2 producer, enhanced O2 tolerance. When the recombinant FO strain was exposed to levels of O2 up to 20% in the headspace of a sealed bottle, it showed significant growth. Whole transcriptome analysis of the FO strain revealed that several genes involved in the stress response such as chaperonin β subunit, universal stress protein, peroxiredoxin, and alkyl hydroperoxide reductase subunit C, were significantly up-regulated. The O2 tolerance of the FO strain enabled it to grow on formate and produce H2 under oxic conditions, where prior O2-removing steps were omitted, such as the addition of reducing agent Na2S, autoclaving, and inert gas purging. Conclusions Via the overexpression of frhAGB genes, the obligate anaerobic archaeon T. onnurineus NA1 gained the ability to overcome the inhibitory effect of O2. This O2-tolerant property of the strain may provide another advantage to this hyperthermophilic archaeon as a platform for biofuel H2 production.
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spelling doaj.art-6008139d987a4263b363643f407739342022-12-22T00:28:38ZengBMCBiotechnology for Biofuels1754-68342019-02-011211810.1186/s13068-019-1365-3Biohydrogen production of obligate anaerobic archaeon Thermococcus onnurineus NA1 under oxic conditions via overexpression of frhAGB-encoding hydrogenase genesSeong Hyuk Lee0Min-Sik Kim1Sung Gyun Kang2Hyun Sook Lee3Korea Institute of Ocean Science and TechnologyBiomass and Waste Energy Laboratory, Korea Institute of Energy ResearchKorea Institute of Ocean Science and TechnologyKorea Institute of Ocean Science and TechnologyAbstract Background The production of biohydrogen (H2) as a promising future fuel in anaerobic hyperthermophiles has attracted great attention because H2 formation is more thermodynamically feasible at elevated temperatures and fewer undesired side products are produced. However, these microbes require anoxic culture conditions for growth and H2 production, thereby necessitating costly and time-consuming physical or chemical methods to remove molecular oxygen (O2). Therefore, the development of an O2-tolerant strain would be useful for industrial applications. Results In this study, we found that the overexpression of frhAGB-encoding hydrogenase genes in Thermococcus onnurineus NA1, an obligate anaerobic archaeon and robust H2 producer, enhanced O2 tolerance. When the recombinant FO strain was exposed to levels of O2 up to 20% in the headspace of a sealed bottle, it showed significant growth. Whole transcriptome analysis of the FO strain revealed that several genes involved in the stress response such as chaperonin β subunit, universal stress protein, peroxiredoxin, and alkyl hydroperoxide reductase subunit C, were significantly up-regulated. The O2 tolerance of the FO strain enabled it to grow on formate and produce H2 under oxic conditions, where prior O2-removing steps were omitted, such as the addition of reducing agent Na2S, autoclaving, and inert gas purging. Conclusions Via the overexpression of frhAGB genes, the obligate anaerobic archaeon T. onnurineus NA1 gained the ability to overcome the inhibitory effect of O2. This O2-tolerant property of the strain may provide another advantage to this hyperthermophilic archaeon as a platform for biofuel H2 production.http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s13068-019-1365-3frhAGB-encoding hydrogenaseObligate anaerobeThermococcus onnurineus NA1O2 toleranceBiohydrogen
spellingShingle Seong Hyuk Lee
Min-Sik Kim
Sung Gyun Kang
Hyun Sook Lee
Biohydrogen production of obligate anaerobic archaeon Thermococcus onnurineus NA1 under oxic conditions via overexpression of frhAGB-encoding hydrogenase genes
Biotechnology for Biofuels
frhAGB-encoding hydrogenase
Obligate anaerobe
Thermococcus onnurineus NA1
O2 tolerance
Biohydrogen
title Biohydrogen production of obligate anaerobic archaeon Thermococcus onnurineus NA1 under oxic conditions via overexpression of frhAGB-encoding hydrogenase genes
title_full Biohydrogen production of obligate anaerobic archaeon Thermococcus onnurineus NA1 under oxic conditions via overexpression of frhAGB-encoding hydrogenase genes
title_fullStr Biohydrogen production of obligate anaerobic archaeon Thermococcus onnurineus NA1 under oxic conditions via overexpression of frhAGB-encoding hydrogenase genes
title_full_unstemmed Biohydrogen production of obligate anaerobic archaeon Thermococcus onnurineus NA1 under oxic conditions via overexpression of frhAGB-encoding hydrogenase genes
title_short Biohydrogen production of obligate anaerobic archaeon Thermococcus onnurineus NA1 under oxic conditions via overexpression of frhAGB-encoding hydrogenase genes
title_sort biohydrogen production of obligate anaerobic archaeon thermococcus onnurineus na1 under oxic conditions via overexpression of frhagb encoding hydrogenase genes
topic frhAGB-encoding hydrogenase
Obligate anaerobe
Thermococcus onnurineus NA1
O2 tolerance
Biohydrogen
url http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s13068-019-1365-3
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