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Aerobic H2 Production Related to Formate Metabolism in White-Rot Fungi

Summary

This research reveals that certain wood-decay fungi can produce hydrogen gas under normal air conditions, which is different from how most organisms produce hydrogen in oxygen-free environments. This discovery has important implications for sustainable energy production and our understanding of fungal biology. Key impacts include: • Potential development of new environmentally friendly methods for hydrogen fuel production • Better understanding of how fungi protect themselves from stress during wood decay • Possible applications in biotechnology and sustainable energy • New insights into fungal metabolism and evolution • Potential development of more efficient wood processing technologies

Background

Biohydrogen is mainly produced by anaerobic bacteria, fungi and algae under anaerobic conditions. In higher eukaryotes, molecular hydrogen (H2) functions as a signaling molecule for physiological processes like stress responses. While hydrogenase-like genes are widely distributed in higher eukaryotes, their function remains unclear.

Objective

To investigate and demonstrate that white-rot fungi can produce H2 during wood decay under aerobic conditions and elucidate the underlying production mechanism, particularly focusing on the relationship between H2 production and organic acid metabolism.

Results

The white-rot fungus Trametes versicolor produced H2 from wood under aerobic conditions, with production completely suppressed under hypoxic conditions. Oxalate and formate supplementation increased H2 evolution. RNA-seq analyses showed down-regulation of oxalate production from the TCA/glyoxylate cycle and up-regulation of oxalate and formate metabolism enzymes. Self-recombination experiments with formate dehydrogenase genes improved H2 production.

Conclusion

This study demonstrates for the first time that white-rot fungi can produce H2 aerobically during wood decay, with formate metabolism playing a key role in the production mechanism. While production levels are currently below commercial viability, this novel finding opens new possibilities in biohydrogen research and potential aerobic production processes.
  • Published in:Frontiers in Fungal Biology,
  • Study Type:Laboratory Research,
  • Source: 10.3389/ffunb.2023.1201889
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