Hydrogen evolution activities of metagenomic fosmid clones derived from hydrothermal vent systems along the Mid-Atlantic Ridge

Metagenomic fosmid libraries were constructed from hydrothermal chimneys and fluids and screened for hydrogenase activity by means of an activity-based screen. The hydrogen evolution activity of protein extracts from positively screened clones was determined by means of gas chromatography. For the most active clone (SP11F2) the hydrogen evolution activity was determined at different pH conditions and the stability of the respective enzyme ectract under different storage conditions was tested. The datasets contain hydrogen evolution activities of fosmid clones from the Sisters Peak, Nibelungen and Lilliput hydrothermal vent fields.