Evolution of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii ferredoxins and their interactions with [FeFe]-hydrogenases

Ferredoxins are soluble iron sulphur proteins which function as electron donors in a number of metabolic pathways in a broad range of organisms. In photosynthetic organisms, PETF, or ferredoxin 1 (FDX1), is the most studied ferredoxin due to its essential role in photosynthesis, where it transfers electrons from photosystem I to ferredoxin-NADP⁺ oxidoreductase. However, PETF can also transfer electrons to a large number of other proteins. One important PETF electron acceptor found in green microalgae is the biologically and biotechnologically important [FeFe]-hydrogenase HYDA, which catalyses the production of molecular hydrogen (H₂) from protons and electrons. The interaction between PETF and HYDA is of considerable interest, as PETF is the primary electron donor to HYDA and electron supply is one of the main limiting factors for H₂ production on a commercial scale. Although there is no three dimensional structure of the PETF-HYDA complex available, protein variants, nuclear magnetic resonance titration studies, molecular dynamics and modelling have provided considerable insight into the residues essential for forming and maintaining the interaction. In this review, we discuss the most recent findings with regard to ferredoxin-HYDA interactions and the evolution of the various Chlamydomonas reinhardtii ferredoxin isoforms. Finally, we provide an outlook on new PETF-based biotechnological approaches for improved H₂ production efficiencies.