Jump to navigation

Logo RUB
  • Energiesparen
  • Studium
  • Forschung
  • Transfer
  • News
  • Über uns
  • Einrichtungen
 
MENÜ
  • RUB-STARTSEITE
  • News
  • Wissenschaft
  • Studium
  • Transfer
  • Leute
  • Hochschulpolitik
  • Kultur und Freizeit
  • Vermischtes
  • Servicemeldungen
  • Serien
  • Dossiers
  • Bildergalerien
  • Presseinformationen
    • Abonnieren
  • RUB in den Medien
    • Abonnieren
  • Rubens
  • Rubin
    • Abonnieren
    • Printarchiv
  • Archiv
  • English
    • Press releases
  • Redaktion

Newsportal - Ruhr-Universität Bochum

Forscher im Labor
Oliver Lampret (left) and Thomas Happe have gained new insights into the function of hydrogen producing enzymes.
© RUB, Marquard
Biotechnology

New kind of interaction discovered in hydrogen-producing enzymes

In hydrogenase enzymes, the transports of protons and electrons have been considered to be separate events until now. However, coupling is the key to success here.

Hydrogenases can convert hydrogen just as efficiently as expensive platinum catalysts. In order to make them usable for biotechnological applications, researchers are deciphering how they work in detail. A team from RUB and the University of Oxford now reports in the journal “Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences” (PNAS) that the transfer of protons and electrons by the enzyme takes place spatially separated, but is nevertheless coupled and thus, a decisive factor for efficiency. The article was published online on 10 August 2020.

Protein engineering makes coupling visible

“Although it was known that there was a proton-coupled electron transfer mechanism, researchers had so far assumed that the coupling only takes place at the active centre itself,” says Professor Thomas Happe, Head of the Photobiotechnology Research Group. The researchers, however, showed that when they slowed down proton transfer, this also effected the rate of electron transfer.

“As the two transfer routes are spatially separated, we assume that a cooperative long-range coupling of both processes is necessary for efficient catalysis,” concludes Dr. Oliver Lampret, first author of the study. The findings should help to develop more efficient miniaturised hydrogenase catalysts in the future.

Links
  • Detailed press release
Published
Monday
17 August 2020
8.44 AM
By
Julia Weiler (jwe)
Translated by
Lund Languages
Share
Teilen
 
English News
Overview
 
German News
Homepage
  • A-Z
  • N
  • K
Logo RUB
Impressum | Kontakt
Ruhr-Universität Bochum
Universitätsstraße 150
44801 Bochum

Datenschutz
Barrierefreiheit
Impressum
Schnellzugriff
Service und Themen
Anreise und Lagepläne
Hilfe im Notfall
Stellenangebote
Social Media
Facebook
Twitter
YouTube
Instagram
Seitenanfang y Kontrast N
Impressum | Kontakt