Hydrogenase activity in Rhodopseudomonas capsulata: relationship with nitrogenase activity

Hydrogenase activity was found in cells of Rhodopseudomonas capsulata strain B10 cultured under a variety of growth conditions either anaerobically in the light or aerobically in the dark. The highest activities were found routinely in cells grown in the presence of H2. The hydrogenase of R. capsulata was localized in the particulate fraction of the cells. High hydrogenase activities were usually observed in cells possessing an active nitrogenase. The hydrogen produced by the nitrogenase stimulated the activity of hydrogenase in growing cells. However, the synthesis of hydrogenase was not closely linked to the synthesis of nitrogenase. Hydrogenase was present in dark-grown cultures, whereas nitrogenase synthesis was not significant in the absence of light. Unlike nitrogenase, hydrogenase was present in cultures grown on NH4+. Conditions were established which allowed the synthesis of either nitrogenase or hydrogenase by resting cells. We concluded that hydrogenase can be synthesized independently of nitrogenase.