Minimal and hybrid hydrogenases are active from archaea


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Date

2024-06-20

Publication Type

Journal Article

ETH Bibliography

no

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Abstract

Microbial hydrogen (H2) cycling underpins the diversity and functionality of diverse anoxic ecosystems. Among the three evolutionarily distinct hydrogenase superfamilies responsible, [FeFe] hydrogenases were thought to be restricted to bacteria and eukaryotes. Here, we show that anaerobic archaea encode diverse, active, and ancient lineages of [FeFe] hydrogenases through combining analysis of existing and new genomes with extensive biochemical experiments. [FeFe] hydrogenases are encoded by genomes of nine archaeal phyla and expressed by H2-producing Asgard archaeon cultures. We report an ultraminimal hydrogenase in DPANN archaea that binds the catalytic H-cluster and produces H2. Moreover, we identify and characterize remarkable hybrid complexes formed through the fusion of [FeFe] and [NiFe] hydrogenases in ten other archaeal orders. Phylogenetic analysis and structural modeling suggest a deep evolutionary history of hybrid hydrogenases. These findings reveal new metabolic adaptations of archaea, streamlined H2 catalysts for biotechnological development, and a surprisingly intertwined evolutionary history between the two major H2-metabolizing enzymes.

Publication status

published

Editor

Book title

Journal / series

Volume

187 (13)

Pages / Article No.

3357 - 3.372e+22

Publisher

Cell Press

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Edition / version

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Date collected

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Subject

archaea; hydrogen; hydrogenase; anaerobic; eukaryogenesis

Organisational unit

09817 - Schoelmerich, Marie / Schoelmerich, Marie check_circle

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