Improved production of the NiFe-hydrogenase from Pyrococcus furiosus by increased expression of maturation genes

The NADPH-dependent cytoplasmic [NiFe]-hydrogenase (SHI) from the hyperthermophile Pyrococcus furiosus, which grows optimally near 100°C, is extremely thermostable and has many in vitro applications, including cofactor generation and hydrogen production. In particular, SHI is used in a cell-free synthetic pathway that contains more than a dozen other enzymes and produces three times more hydrogen (12 H2/glucose) from sugars compared to cellular fermentations (4 H2/glucose). We previously reported homologous over-expression and rapid purification of an affinity-tagged (9x-His) version of SHI, which is a heterotetrameric enzyme. However, about 30% of the enzyme that was purified contained an inactive trimeric form of SHI lacking the catalytic [NiFe]-containing subunit. Herein, we constructed a strain of P. furiosus that contained a second set of the eight genes involved in the maturation of the catalytic subunit and insertion of the [NiFe]-site, along with a second set of the four genes encoding the SHI structural subunits. This resulted in a 40% higher yield of the purified affinity-tagged enzyme and the content of the inactive trimeric form decreased to 5% of the total protein. These results bode well for the future production of active SHI for both basic and applied purposes.