Title: Whole cell and cell-free hydrogenases of algae
Abstract: For the first time several species of algae are found to exhibit hydrogenase activity after dark adaptation. Seven of the species examined do not exhibit hydrogenase activity even after 48 hr of attempted adaptation. In whole cells of Chlamydomonas moewusii, the pH optimum of the adaptation process is 7·5. The pH optimum of the enzyme is 9·7 after adaptation. In another Chlamydomonas species, the pH optimum of the enzyme for a cell-free extract from adapted whole cells is 7·0. The hydrogenases of algae appear to have isoenzyme patterns and substrate specificities similar to those of bacterial enzymes. The adaptation process proceeds in the presence of carbon monoxide which inactivates the enzyme. This indicates that the appearance of hydrogenase activity may be controlled by the level of some metabolite(s) not immediately connected with the hydrogenase reaction. Inhibition of hydrogenase activity by carbon monoxide is reversed by removing the gas. Hydrogenase from dried cell preparations of C. moewusii and Chlamydomonas sp. is more stable to air than the enzyme obtained from whole cell suspensions of the same organisms.
Publication Year: 1970
Publication Date: 1970-02-01
Language: en
Type: article
Indexed In: ['crossref']
Access and Citation
Cited By Count: 30
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