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. 1976 Apr;57(4):659–665. doi: 10.1104/pp.57.4.659

Simultaneous Measurement of Oxygen and Hydrogen Exchange from the Blue-Green Alga Anabaena1

Larry W Jones a,2, Norman I Bishop a
PMCID: PMC542093  PMID: 16659547

Abstract

Two Clark-type polarographic electrodes were used to measure simultaneous H2 and O2 exchange from three species of the blue-green alga Anabaena. Maximum H2 photoevolution from N2-fixing cultures of Anabaena required only the removal of dissolved O2 and N2; no adaptation period was necessary. No correlation of H2 photoproduction with photosynthetic O2 evolution, beyond their mutual light requirement, was found. Hydrogen photoevolution has the following characteristics in common with N2 fixation in these organisms: DCMU insensitivity; similar white light dependency with very low dark production rates; maximum efficiency in photosystem I light; inhibition by N2, O2 and acetylene; and an apparent requirement for the presence of heterocysts. Growth on nitrate medium reduces, and on ammonium medium obliterates, both reactions. Cultures grown under limiting CO2 conditions have H2 photoproduction rates proportional to their growth rates. Hydrogenase activity is inferred from H2 uptake in the dark, but this activity apparently is independent of the photoevolution of H2 which is ascribed strictly to the nitrogenase system.

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Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

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