Application to Photocatalytic H2 Production of a Whole‐Cell Reaction by Recombinant Escherichia coli Cells Expressing [FeFe]‐Hydrogenase and Maturases Genes

Abstract A photocatalytic H 2 production system using an inorganic–bio hybrid photocatalyst could contribute to the efficient utilization of solar energy, but would require the development of a new approach for preparing a H 2 ‐forming biocatalyst. In the present study, we constructed a recombinant strain of Escherichia coli expressing the genes encoding the [FeFe]‐hydrogenase and relevant maturases from Clostridium acetobutylicum NBRC 13948 for use as a biocatalyst. We investigated the direct application of a whole‐cell of the recombinant E . coli . The combination of TiO 2 , methylviologen, and the recombinant E . coli formed H 2 under light irradiation, demonstrating that whole cells of the recombinant E . coli could be employed for photocatalytic H 2 production without any time‐consuming and costly manipulations (for example, enzyme purification). This is the first report of the direct application of a whole‐cell reaction of recombinant E . coli to photocatalytic H 2 production.