Effects of deletion of genes encoding Fe-only hydrogenase of Desulfovibrio vulgaris Hildenborough on hydrogen and lactate metabolism

The physiological properties of a hyd mutant of Desulfovibrio vulgaris Hildenborough, lacking periplasmic Fe-only hydrogenase, have been compared with those of the wild-type strain. Fe-only hydrogenase is the main hydrogenase of D. vulgaris Hildenborough, which also has periplasmic NiFe- and NiFeSe-hydrogenases. The hyd mutant grew less well than the wild-type strain in media with sulfate as the electron acceptor and H-2 as the sole electron donor, especially at a high sulfate concentration. Although the hyd mutation had little effect on growth with lactate as the electron donor for sulfate reduction when H-2 was also present, growth in lactate-and sulfate-containing media lacking H-2 was less efficient. The hyd mutant produced, transiently, significant amounts of H-2 under these conditions, which were eventually all used for sulfate reduction. The results do not confirm the essential role proposed elsewhere for Fe-only hydrogenase as a hydrogen- producing enzyme in lactate metabolism (W. A. M. van den Berg, W. M. A. M. van Dongen, and C. Veeger, J. Bacteriol. 173:36883694, 1991). This role is more likely played by a membrane-bound, cytoplasmic Ech-hydrogenase homolog, which is indicated by the D. vulgaris genome sequence. The physiological role of periplasmic Fe-only hydrogenase is hydrogen uptake, both when hydrogen is and when lactate is the electron donor for sulfate reduction.