“Hydrogen gas has long been proposed as a promising energy carrier for future energy applications, but generating the gas from water has proved inefficient. Researchers at Uppsala University have now managed to activate a key enzyme called hydrogenase in E. coli bacteria, which opens the door to future applications in photosynthesising microorganisms. The method involves inserting designed molecules into genetically modified E. coli bacteria to induce an otherwise inactive enzyme to start producing hydrogen gas. In other words, the method uses a combination of synthetic chemistry and biology.”