Direct Exchange of Electrons Within Aggregates of an Evolved Syntrophic Coculture of Anaerobic Bacteria

Microbial consortia that cooperatively exchange electrons play a key role in the anaerobic processing of organic matter. Interspecies hydrogen transfer is a well-documented strategy for electron exchange in dispersed laboratory cultures, but cooperative partners in natural environments often form mu...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Science (American Association for the Advancement of Science) 2010-12, Vol.330 (6009), p.1413-1415
Main Authors: Summers, Zarath M, Fogarty, Heather E, Leang, Ching, Franks, Ashley E, Malvankar, Nikhil S, Lovley, Derek R
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Anaerobiosis
Bacterial Proteins - chemistry
Bacterial Proteins - genetics
Bacterial Proteins - metabolism
Bacteriology
Biological and medical sciences
Biological Evolution
Cell aggregates
Coculture techniques
Culture Media
Cytochrome c Group - chemistry
Cytochrome c Group - genetics
Cytochrome c Group - metabolism
Cytochromes
Electron transfer
Electron Transport
Electrons
Ethanol
Ethanol - metabolism
Fimbriae Proteins - genetics
Fimbriae Proteins - metabolism
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Genetic mutation
Geobacter
Geobacter - genetics
Geobacter - growth & development
Geobacter - metabolism
Geobacter metallireducens
Geobacter sulfurreducens
Hydrogen
Hydrogen - metabolism
Metal aggregates
Microbial Consortia - physiology
Microbial Interactions
Microbiology
Miscellaneous
Mutation
Oxidation-Reduction
Selection, Genetic
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Summary:Microbial consortia that cooperatively exchange electrons play a key role in the anaerobic processing of organic matter. Interspecies hydrogen transfer is a well-documented strategy for electron exchange in dispersed laboratory cultures, but cooperative partners in natural environments often form multispecies aggregates. We found that laboratory evolution of a coculture of Geobacter metallireducens and Geobacter sulfurreducens metabolizing ethanol favored the formation of aggregates that were electrically conductive. Sequencing aggregate DNA revealed selection for a mutation that enhances the production of a c-type cytochrome involved in extracellular electron transfer and accelerates the formation of aggregates. Aggregate formation was also much faster in mutants that were deficient in interspecies hydrogen transfer, further suggesting direct interspecies electron transfer.
ISSN:0036-8075
1095-9203
DOI:10.1126/science.1196526