title: Continuous hydrogen production by the hyperthermophilic archaeon, Thermococcus kodakaraensis KOD1.
abstract: The hydrogen (H2) production potential of the hyperthermophilic archaeon, Thermococcus kodakaraensis KOD1 was evaluated at 85 degrees C. In batch cultivation using a complex medium supplemented with elemental sulfur (S0), evolution of H2S and CO2 was observed in the gas phase. When S0 was omitted and pyruvate or starch was added in the medium, the cells produced H2 at high levels instead of H2S. As the level of H2 appeared to correlate with the specific growth rate, analysis in continuous cultures was performed to develop a continuous H2 production system. In a steady-state condition at a dilution rate of 0.2 h-1, a continuous H2 production rate (per gram dry weight, gdw) of 24.9 and 14.0 mmol gdw-1 h-1 was observed in media supplemented with pyruvate and starch, respectively. In both cultivations, a high accumulation of acetate and alanine was found as metabolites. When the dilution rates were elevated in the medium with pyruvate, steady-state growth was observed up to 0.8 h-1, and a maximum H2 production rate of 59.6 mmol gdw-1 h-1 was obtained. Based on the experimental results along with data of the entire genome sequence, the metabolic pathway of the strain relating to starch and pyruvate degradation is discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Synthetic Chemistry and Biological Chemistry, Graduate School of Engineering, Kyoto University, Katsura, Nishikyo-ku, Kyoto 615-8510, Japan.
authors.forename: Tamotsu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kanai
authors.forename: Hiroyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Imanaka
authors.forename: Akihito
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nakajima
authors.forename: Kenetsu
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Uwamori
authors.forename: Yoshiyuki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Omori
authors.forename: Toshiaki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Fukui
authors.forename: Haruyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Atomi
authors.forename: Tadayuki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Imanaka
mesh_terms: D000596:Amino Acids / Q000378:metabolism*; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D006859:Hydrogen / Q000378:metabolism*; D008954:Models, Biological; D019289:Pyruvic Acid / Q000378:metabolism*; D013045:Species Specificity; D013213:Starch / Q000378:metabolism*; D019712:Thermococcus / Q000145:classification / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000596:Amino Acids; D006859:Hydrogen; D019289:Pyruvic Acid; D013213:Starch