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Function of Periplasmic Hydrogenases in the Sulfate-ReducingBacterium Desulfovibrio vulgaris Hildenborough

Journal Article · · Journal of Bacteriology
The sulfate-reducing bacterium Desulfovibrio vulgarisHildenborough possesses four periplasmic hydrogenases to facilitate theoxidation of molecular hydrogen. These include an [Fe]hydrogenase, an[NiFeSe]hydrogenase, and two [NiFe]hydrogenases encoded by the hyd,hys, hyn1, and hyn2 genes, respectively. In order to understand theircellular functions, we have compared the growth rates of existing (hydand hyn1) and newly constructed (hys and hyn-1 hyd) mutants to those ofthe wild type in defined media in which lactate or hydrogen at either 5or 50 percent (vol/vol) was used as the sole electron donor for sulfatereduction. Only strains missing the [Fe]hydrogenase were significantlyaffected during growth with lactate or with 50 percent (vol/vol) hydrogenas the sole electron donor. When the cells were grown at low (5 percent[vol/vol]) hydrogen concentrations, those missing the [NiFeSe]hydrogenase suffered the greatest impairment. The growth rate datacorrelated strongly with gene expression results obtained from microarrayhybridizations and real-time PCR using mRNA extracted from cells grownunder the three conditions. Expression of the hys genes followed theorder 5 percent hydrogen>50 percent hydrogen>lactate, whereasexpression of the hyd genes followed the reverse order. These resultssuggest that growth with lactate and 50 percent hydrogen is associatedwith high intracellular hydrogen concentrations, which are best capturedby the higher activity, lower affinity [Fe]hydrogenase. In contrast,growth with 5 percent hydrogen is associated with a low intracellularhydrogen concentration, requiring the lower activity, higher affinity[NiFeSe]hydrogenase.
Research Organization:
COLLABORATION - Department of BiologicalSciences, University of Calgary
DOE Contract Number:
AC02-05CH11231
OSTI ID:
932520
Report Number(s):
LBNL--63451
Journal Information:
Journal of Bacteriology, Journal Name: Journal of Bacteriology Journal Issue: 17 Vol. 189; ISSN JOBAAY; ISSN 0021-9193
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English