Microencapsulated Chromatophores for the Production of ATP

Chromatophores, organelles for photophosphorylation in non-sulfur purple photosynthetic bacteria, were microencapsulated and utilized in ATP production. The microcapsules were formed by photocrosslinking with trimethylolpropane triacrylate (TMPTA). In batch experiments chromatophores microencapsulated in TMPTA capsules were repeatedly used in ATP production for more than 5 times. Continuous ATP production was then undertaken. ATP was produced at a production rate of 14 μmol h^-1 L^-1 over 200 hrs. The yield (from ADP to ATP) was 35%. The total amount of ATP produced was 0.7 mM (μM Bchl)^-1. Therefore, this microencapsulation method was found to be suitable for the continuous ATP production using chromatophores.