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Extracellular electron transfer features of Gram-positive bacteria

Pankratova, Galina LU ; Hederstedt, Lars LU and Gorton, Lo LU (2019) In Analytica Chimica Acta 1076. p.32-47
Abstract

Electroactive microorganisms possess the unique ability to transfer electrons to or from solid phase electron conductors, e.g., electrodes or minerals, through various physiological mechanisms. The processes are commonly known as extracellular electron transfer and broadly harnessed in microbial electrochemical systems, such as microbial biosensors, microbial electrosynthesis, or microbial fuel cells. Apart from a few model microorganisms, the nature of the microbe-electrode conductive interaction is poorly understood for most of the electroactive species. The interaction determines the efficiency and a potential scaling up of bioelectrochemical systems. Gram-positive bacteria generally have a thick electron non-conductive cell wall and... (More)

Electroactive microorganisms possess the unique ability to transfer electrons to or from solid phase electron conductors, e.g., electrodes or minerals, through various physiological mechanisms. The processes are commonly known as extracellular electron transfer and broadly harnessed in microbial electrochemical systems, such as microbial biosensors, microbial electrosynthesis, or microbial fuel cells. Apart from a few model microorganisms, the nature of the microbe-electrode conductive interaction is poorly understood for most of the electroactive species. The interaction determines the efficiency and a potential scaling up of bioelectrochemical systems. Gram-positive bacteria generally have a thick electron non-conductive cell wall and are believed to exhibit weak extracellular electron shuttling activity. This review highlights reported research accomplishments on electroactive Gram-positive bacteria. The use of electron-conducting polymers as mediators is considered as one promising strategy to enhance the electron transfer efficiency up to application scale. In view of the recent progress in understanding the molecular aspects of the extracellular electron transfer mechanisms of Enterococcus faecalis, the electron transfer properties of this bacterium are especially focused on. Fundamental knowledge on the nature of microbial extracellular electron transfer and its possibilities can provide insight in interspecies electron transfer and biogeochemical cycling of elements in nature. Additionally, a comprehensive understanding of cell-electrode interactions may help in overcoming insufficient electron transfer and restricted operational performance of various bioelectrochemical systems and facilitate their practical applications.

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author
; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Direct electron transfer, Electron-conducting redox polymers, Enterococcus faecalis, Extracellular electron transfer, Gram-positive bacteria, Mediated electron transfer
in
Analytica Chimica Acta
volume
1076
pages
32 - 47
publisher
Elsevier
external identifiers
  • pmid:31203962
  • scopus:85065603339
ISSN
0003-2670
DOI
10.1016/j.aca.2019.05.007
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
b3f9a0ed-c116-4e68-ac3f-368858c600a0
date added to LUP
2019-05-27 08:14:10
date last changed
2024-04-16 07:28:05
@article{b3f9a0ed-c116-4e68-ac3f-368858c600a0,
  abstract     = {{<p>Electroactive microorganisms possess the unique ability to transfer electrons to or from solid phase electron conductors, e.g., electrodes or minerals, through various physiological mechanisms. The processes are commonly known as extracellular electron transfer and broadly harnessed in microbial electrochemical systems, such as microbial biosensors, microbial electrosynthesis, or microbial fuel cells. Apart from a few model microorganisms, the nature of the microbe-electrode conductive interaction is poorly understood for most of the electroactive species. The interaction determines the efficiency and a potential scaling up of bioelectrochemical systems. Gram-positive bacteria generally have a thick electron non-conductive cell wall and are believed to exhibit weak extracellular electron shuttling activity. This review highlights reported research accomplishments on electroactive Gram-positive bacteria. The use of electron-conducting polymers as mediators is considered as one promising strategy to enhance the electron transfer efficiency up to application scale. In view of the recent progress in understanding the molecular aspects of the extracellular electron transfer mechanisms of Enterococcus faecalis, the electron transfer properties of this bacterium are especially focused on. Fundamental knowledge on the nature of microbial extracellular electron transfer and its possibilities can provide insight in interspecies electron transfer and biogeochemical cycling of elements in nature. Additionally, a comprehensive understanding of cell-electrode interactions may help in overcoming insufficient electron transfer and restricted operational performance of various bioelectrochemical systems and facilitate their practical applications.</p>}},
  author       = {{Pankratova, Galina and Hederstedt, Lars and Gorton, Lo}},
  issn         = {{0003-2670}},
  keywords     = {{Direct electron transfer; Electron-conducting redox polymers; Enterococcus faecalis; Extracellular electron transfer; Gram-positive bacteria; Mediated electron transfer}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{05}},
  pages        = {{32--47}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier}},
  series       = {{Analytica Chimica Acta}},
  title        = {{Extracellular electron transfer features of Gram-positive bacteria}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.aca.2019.05.007}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.aca.2019.05.007}},
  volume       = {{1076}},
  year         = {{2019}},
}