Efficient photocatalytic hydrogen production by E. coli-ZnIn2S4 biohybrid system

Constructed an E. coli -ZnIn 2 S 4 biohybrid for photocatalytic H 2 production. • Achieved a high H 2 yield of 335 μmol under optimized conditions. • Demonstrated a synergistic effect surpassing individual component performance. • Revealed improved charge separation at the bio-abiotic interface. • Identified light-induced redirection of microbial metabolic flux. Semiconductor-microorganism hybrid systems exhibit considerable potential for light-driven hydrogen production via water splitting. However, their performance is limited by the efficiency of electron transfer at the bio-abiotic interface and the stability of the hybrid system. In this study, we constructed a novel light-driven hybrid hydrogen production system utilizing Escherichia coli ( E. coli ) and ZnIn 2 S 4 (ZIS). E. coli interacts with ZIS surface through specific interfacial interactions facilitated by electrostatic adsorption and forms robust connections via metal-nonmetal chemical bonds. The E. coli -ZIS hybrid demonstrated a significantly enhanced hydrogen evolution activity compared to pure ZIS or E. coli systems alone, achieving a hydrogen yield of 335 μmol within 3 h. Metabolic analysis revealed that ZIS can comprehensively regulate the microbial metabolic network to accelerate substrate decomposition and drive the reaction toward hydrogen production. By leveraging the light-enhanced synergistic mechanism of E. coli metabolic hydrogen production, the E. coli -ZIS composite system achieves efficient and stable photocatalytic hydrogen production.