Hydrogen gas as a central on-off functional switch of reversible metabolic arrest - New perspectives for biotechnological applications.

Metabolism is the sum of all chemical reactions that sustain life. There is an ongoing effort to control metabolic rate, which correlates with the maximum lifespan potential and constitutes one of the oldest scientific questions. Herein, we report on the complete reversible arrest of cellular metabolism and cell growth in a series of organisms, from microalgae to yeast upon exposure to a 100 % hydrogen atmosphere.

Microalgal photosynthesis induces alkalization of aquatic environment as a result of H uptake independently from CO concentration - New perspectives for environmental applications.

The photosynthetic process in microalgae and the extracellular proton environment interact with each other. The photosynthetic process in microalgae induces a pH increase in the aquatic environment as a result of cellular protons uptake rather than as an effect of CO consumption. The photosynthetic water photolysis and the reduction/oxidation cycle of the plastoquinone pool provide lumen with protons.