Degree Project in Molecular Biotechnology
Masters Programme in Molecular Biotechnology Engineering, Uppsala University School of Engineering
UPTEC X 15 002
Date of issue 2015-01 AuthorAlex Basu
Title (English)
Relation between hydrogen production and photosynthesis in the green algae Chlamydomonas reinhardtii
Title (Swedish) Abstract
The modernized world is over-consuming low-cost energy sources that strongly contributes to pollution and environmental stress. As a consequence, the interest for environmentally friendly alternatives has increased immensely. One such alternative is the use of solar energy and water as a raw material to produce biohydrogen through the process of photosynthetic water splitting. In this work, the relation between H2-production and photosynthesis in the green algae Chlamydomonas reinhardtii was studied with respect to three main aspects: the establishment of prolonged H2-production, the involvement of PSII in H2-production and the electron pathways associated with PSII during H2-production. For the first time, this work reveals that PSII plays a crucial role throughout the H2-producing phase in sulfur deprived C.
reinhardtii. It further reveals that a wave-like fluorescence decay kinetic, before only seen in cyanobacteria, is observable during the H2-producing phase in sulfur deprived C. reinhardtii, reflecting the presence of cyclic electron flows also in green algae.
Keywords
Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, photosynthetic water oxidation, biohydrogen, sulfur deprivation, cyclic electron flow
Supervisors
Associate Professor Fikret Mamedov Uppsala University
Scientific reviewer
Professor Stenbjörn Styring Uppsala University
Project name Sponsors
Language
English Security
ISSN 1401-2138 Classification
Supplementary bibliographical information Pages
40
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