H₂ydroGEM - Producers of Pollution-Free Energy

To seek a clean and sustainable fuel resource, we sought to imitate the most efficient natural mechanism for the transduction of energy - photosynthesis. By engineering the photosynthesis system into E.coli, ‘green’ hydrogen fuel can be produced simply from sunlight and water. To do this, we focused on the assembly of the hydrogenase enzyme complex, the final component of the photosynthesis pathway. We successfully added an [FeFe] Hydrogenase enzyme, from Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, ferredoxin, ferredoxin NADP(+) reductase (FNR) and maturation enzymes (HydEFG), which together, work cohesively to produce our desired ‘green’ hydrogen gas product.

Our modeling and human practice approaches provided an assessment of the viability of the production of hydrogen on an industrial scale. We have also developed strategies to educate future generations about the potential applications of synthetic biology for providing alternative green energy solutions which can address the global energy crisis.