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Article
Direct Exchange of Electrons Within Aggregates of an Evolved Syntrophic Co-Culture of Anaerobic Bacteria
Science (2010)
  • Derek Lovley, University of Massachusetts - Amherst
  • Zarath M Summers
  • Heather E Fogarty
  • Ching Leang
  • Ashley E Franks
  • Nikhil S. Malvankar
Abstract

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.

Disciplines
Publication Date
December, 2010
Publisher Statement
DOI: 10.1126/science.1196526
Citation Information
Derek Lovley, Zarath M Summers, Heather E Fogarty, Ching Leang, et al.. "Direct Exchange of Electrons Within Aggregates of an Evolved Syntrophic Co-Culture of Anaerobic Bacteria" Science Vol. 330 Iss. 6009 (2010)
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/derek_lovley/27/