Purple photosynthetic bacteria
The bacterium Rhodopseudomonas palustris, an example of the ‘purple photosynthetic bacteria’ is important for studies on waste remediation, as it can withstand a range of toxic compounds in the environment and has a high degree of metabolic diversity. We are developing systems to use it to convert waste compounds into high value products, including hydrogen.
Figure 1: Culture bottles of Rhodopseudomonas palustris, producing hydrogen under anaerobic conditions, assisted by illumination.
We are particularly interested in improving the genetic tools available for the organism.
More information:
“Expression of alternative nitrogenases in Rhodopseudomonas palustris is enhanced using an optimized genetic toolset for rapid, markerless modifications.” du Toit JP, Lea-Smith DJ, Git A, Hervey JRD, Howe CJ, Pott RWM. (2021) ACY Synthetic Biology 10: 2167-2178 doi.org/10.1021/acssynbio.0c00496