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Live cyanobacteria produce photocurrent and hydrogen using both the respiratory and photosynthetic systems

Author

Listed:
  • Gadiel Saper

    (Technion – Israel Institute of Technology)

  • Dan Kallmann

    (Technion – Israel Institute of Technology)

  • Felipe Conzuelo

    (Ruhr-Universität Bochum)

  • Fangyuan Zhao

    (Ruhr-Universität Bochum)

  • Tünde N. Tóth

    (Technion – Israel Institute of Technology
    Technion – Israel Institute of Technology)

  • Varda Liveanu

    (Technion – Israel Institute of Technology)

  • Sagit Meir

    (The Weizmann Institute of Science)

  • Jedrzej Szymanski

    (The Weizmann Institute of Science
    Network Analysis and Modelling, OT Gatersleben)

  • Asaph Aharoni

    (The Weizmann Institute of Science)

  • Wolfgang Schuhmann

    (Ruhr-Universität Bochum)

  • Avner Rothschild

    (Technion – Israel Institute of Technology
    Technion – Israel Institute of Technology)

  • Gadi Schuster

    (Technion – Israel Institute of Technology
    Technion – Israel Institute of Technology)

  • Noam Adir

    (Technion – Israel Institute of Technology
    Technion – Israel Institute of Technology)

Abstract

Oxygenic photosynthetic organisms perform solar energy conversion of water and CO2 to O2 and sugar at a broad range of wavelengths and light intensities. These cells also metabolize sugars using a respiratory system that functionally overlaps the photosynthetic apparatus. In this study, we describe the harvesting of photocurrent used for hydrogen production from live cyanobacteria. A non-harmful gentle physical treatment of the cyanobacterial cells enables light-driven electron transfer by an endogenous mediator to a graphite electrode in a bio-photoelectrochemical cell, without the addition of sacrificial electron donors or acceptors. We show that the photocurrent is derived from photosystem I and that the electrons originate from carbohydrates digested by the respiratory system. Finally, the current is utilized for hydrogen evolution on the cathode at a bias of 0.65 V. Taken together, we present a bio-photoelectrochemical system where live cyanobacteria produce stable photocurrent that can generate hydrogen.

Suggested Citation

  • Gadiel Saper & Dan Kallmann & Felipe Conzuelo & Fangyuan Zhao & Tünde N. Tóth & Varda Liveanu & Sagit Meir & Jedrzej Szymanski & Asaph Aharoni & Wolfgang Schuhmann & Avner Rothschild & Gadi Schuster &, 2018. "Live cyanobacteria produce photocurrent and hydrogen using both the respiratory and photosynthetic systems," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 9(1), pages 1-9, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:9:y:2018:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-018-04613-x
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-04613-x
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    Cited by:

    1. Shoko Kusama & Seiji Kojima & Ken Kimura & Ginga Shimakawa & Chikahiro Miyake & Kenya Tanaka & Yasuaki Okumura & Shuji Nakanishi, 2022. "Order-of-magnitude enhancement in photocurrent generation of Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 by outer membrane deprivation," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-12, December.

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