Note to users. If you're seeing this message, it means that your browser cannot find this page's style/presentation instructions -- or possibly that you are using a browser that does not support current Web standards. Find out more about why this message is appearing, and what you can do to make your experience of our site the best it can be.
Electrode-Reducing Microorganisms That Harvest Energy from Marine Sediments
Daniel R. Bond,1Dawn E. Holmes,1Leonard M. Tender,2Derek R. Lovley1*
Energy in the form of electricity can be harvested from
marine sediments by placing a graphite electrode (the anode) in theanoxic zone and connecting it to a graphite cathode in the overlyingaerobic water. We report a specific enrichment of microorganismsof the family Geobacteraceae on energy-harvesting anodes, andwe show
that these microorganisms can conserve energy to supporttheir growth
by oxidizing organic compounds with an electrodeserving as the sole
electron acceptor. This finding not only providesa method for
extracting energy from organic matter, but also suggestsa strategy for
promoting the bioremediation of organic contaminantsin subsurface
environments.
1 Department of Microbiology, University of
Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003, USA.
2 Center for
Bio/molecular Science and Engineering, Code 6900, Naval Research
Laboratory, Washington, DC 20375, USA.
*
To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail:
dlovley{at}microbio.umass.edu
The editors suggest the following Related Resources on Science sites:
In Science Magazine
NEWS OF THE WEEK
Elizabeth Pennisi (18 January 2002) Science295 (5554), 425b.
[DOI: 10.1126/science.295.5554.425b] |Summary »|Full Text »|PDF »
THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES:
Novel Electrochemically Active Bacterium Phylogenetically Related to Arcobacter butzleri, Isolated from a Microbial Fuel Cell.
V. Fedorovich, M. C. Knighton, E. Pagaling, F. B. Ward, A. Free, and I. Goryanin (2009)
Appl. Envir. Microbiol.
75, 7326-7334
|Abstract »|Full Text »|PDF »
Simultaneous Cellulose Degradation and Electricity Production by Enterobacter cloacae in a Microbial Fuel Cell.
F. Rezaei, D. Xing, R. Wagner, J. M. Regan, T. L. Richard, and B. E. Logan (2009)
Appl. Envir. Microbiol.
75, 3673-3678
|Abstract »|Full Text »|PDF »
Generation of Electricity and Analysis of Microbial Communities in Wheat Straw Biomass-Powered Microbial Fuel Cells.
Y. Zhang, B. Min, L. Huang, and I. Angelidaki (2009)
Appl. Envir. Microbiol.
75, 3389-3395
|Abstract »|Full Text »|PDF »
Graphite Electrode as a Sole Electron Donor for Reductive Dechlorination of Tetrachlorethene by Geobacter lovleyi.
S. M. Strycharz, T. L. Woodard, J. P. Johnson, K. P. Nevin, R. A. Sanford, F. E. Loffler, and D. R. Lovley (2008)
Appl. Envir. Microbiol.
74, 5943-5947
|Abstract »|Full Text »|PDF »
Genome-Wide Gene Expression Patterns and Growth Requirements Suggest that Pelobacter carbinolicus Reduces Fe(III) Indirectly via Sulfide Production.
S. A. Haveman, R. J. DiDonato Jr., L. Villanueva, E. S. Shelobolina, B. L. Postier, B. Xu, A. Liu, and D. R. Lovley (2008)
Appl. Envir. Microbiol.
74, 4277-4284
|Abstract »|Full Text »|PDF »
Isolation of the Exoelectrogenic Bacterium Ochrobactrum anthropi YZ-1 by Using a U-Tube Microbial Fuel Cell.
Y. Zuo, D. Xing, J. M. Regan, and B. E. Logan (2008)
Appl. Envir. Microbiol.
74, 3130-3137
|Abstract »|Full Text »|PDF »
Genes for two multicopper proteins required for Fe(III) oxide reduction in Geobacter sulfurreducens have different expression patterns both in the subsurface and on energy-harvesting electrodes.
D. E. Holmes, T. Mester, R. A. O'Neil, L. A. Perpetua, M. J. Larrahondo, R. Glaven, M. L. Sharma, J. E. Ward, K. P. Nevin, and D. R. Lovley (2008)
Microbiology
154, 1422-1435
|Abstract »|Full Text »|PDF »
Elucidation of an Alternate Isoleucine Biosynthesis Pathway in Geobacter sulfurreducens.
C. Risso, S. J. Van Dien, A. Orloff, D. R. Lovley, and M. V. Coppi (2008)
J. Bacteriol.
190, 2266-2274
|Abstract »|Full Text »|PDF »
Shewanella secretes flavins that mediate extracellular electron transfer.
E. Marsili, D. B. Baron, I. D. Shikhare, D. Coursolle, J. A. Gralnick, and D. R. Bond (2008)
PNAS
105, 3968-3973
|Abstract »|Full Text »|PDF »
Current Production and Metal Oxide Reduction by Shewanella oneidensis MR-1 Wild Type and Mutants.
O. Bretschger, A. Obraztsova, C. A. Sturm, I. S. Chang, Y. A. Gorby, S. B. Reed, D. E. Culley, C. L. Reardon, S. Barua, M. F. Romine, et al. (2007)
Appl. Envir. Microbiol.
73, 7003-7012
|Abstract »|Full Text »|PDF »
Substrate Degradation Kinetics, Microbial Diversity, and Current Efficiency of Microbial Fuel Cells Supplied with Marine Plankton.
C. E. Reimers, H. A. Stecher III, J. C. Westall, Y. Alleau, K. A. Howell, L. Soule, H. K. White, and P. R. Girguis (2007)
Appl. Envir. Microbiol.
73, 7029-7040
|Abstract »|Full Text »|PDF »
Lack of Electricity Production by Pelobacter carbinolicus Indicates that the Capacity for Fe(III) Oxide Reduction Does Not Necessarily Confer Electron Transfer Ability to Fuel Cell Anodes.
H. Richter, M. Lanthier, K. P. Nevin, and D. R. Lovley (2007)
Appl. Envir. Microbiol.
73, 5347-5353
|Abstract »|Full Text »|PDF »
Flux Analysis of Central Metabolic Pathways in Geobacter metallireducens during Reduction of Soluble Fe(III)-Nitrilotriacetic Acid.
Y. J. Tang, R. Chakraborty, H. G. Martin, J. Chu, T. C. Hazen, and J. D. Keasling (2007)
Appl. Envir. Microbiol.
73, 3859-3864
|Abstract »|Full Text »|PDF »
Prolixibacter bellariivorans gen. nov., sp. nov., a sugar-fermenting, psychrotolerant anaerobe of the phylum Bacteroidetes, isolated from a marine-sediment fuel cell.
D. E. Holmes, K. P. Nevin, T. L. Woodard, A. D. Peacock, and D. R. Lovley (2007)
Int J Syst Evol Microbiol
57, 701-707
|Abstract »|Full Text »|PDF »
Heat-shock sigma factor RpoH from Geobacter sulfurreducens.
Role of RelGsu in Stress Response and Fe(III) Reduction in Geobacter sulfurreducens.
L. N. DiDonato, S. A. Sullivan, B. A. Methe, K. P. Nevin, R. England, and D. R. Lovley (2006)
J. Bacteriol.
188, 8469-8478
|Abstract »|Full Text »|PDF »
Biofilm and Nanowire Production Leads to Increased Current in Geobacter sulfurreducens Fuel Cells.
G. Reguera, K. P. Nevin, J. S. Nicoll, S. F. Covalla, T. L. Woodard, and D. R. Lovley (2006)
Appl. Envir. Microbiol.
72, 7345-7348
|Abstract »|Full Text »|PDF »
DNA Microarray and Proteomic Analyses of the RpoS Regulon in Geobacter sulfurreducens..
C. Nunez, A. Esteve-Nunez, C. Giometti, S. Tollaksen, T. Khare, W. Lin, D. R. Lovley, and B. A. Methe (2006)
J. Bacteriol.
188, 2792-2800
|Abstract »|Full Text »|PDF »
Two Putative c-Type Multiheme Cytochromes Required for the Expression of OmcB, an Outer Membrane Protein Essential for Optimal Fe(III) Reduction in Geobacter sulfurreducens..
B.-C. Kim, X. Qian, C. Leang, M. V. Coppi, and D. R. Lovley (2006)
J. Bacteriol.
188, 3138-3142
|Abstract »|Full Text »|PDF »
Characterization of Metabolism in the Fe(III)-Reducing Organism Geobacter sulfurreducens by Constraint-Based Modeling.
R. Mahadevan, D. R. Bond, J. E. Butler, A. Esteve-Nunez, M. V. Coppi, B. O. Palsson, C. H. Schilling, and D. R. Lovley (2006)
Appl. Envir. Microbiol.
72, 1558-1568
|Abstract »|Full Text »|PDF »
Genetic Characterization of a Single Bifunctional Enzyme for Fumarate Reduction and Succinate Oxidation in Geobacter sulfurreducens and Engineering of Fumarate Reduction in Geobacter metallireducens.
J. E. Butler, R. H. Glaven, A. Esteve-Nunez, C. Nunez, E. S. Shelobolina, D. R. Bond, and D. R. Lovley (2006)
J. Bacteriol.
188, 450-455
|Abstract »|Full Text »|PDF »
Potential for Quantifying Expression of the Geobacteraceae Citrate Synthase Gene To Assess the Activity of Geobacteraceae in the Subsurface and on Current-Harvesting Electrodes.
D. E. Holmes, K. P. Nevin, R. A. O'Neil, J. E. Ward, L. A. Adams, T. L. Woodard, H. A. Vrionis, and D. R. Lovley (2005)
Appl. Envir. Microbiol.
71, 6870-6877
|Abstract »|Full Text »|PDF »
Shewanella oneidensis MR-1 Uses Overlapping Pathways for Iron Reduction at a Distance and by Direct Contact under Conditions Relevant for Biofilms.
D. P. Lies, M. E. Hernandez, A. Kappler, R. E. Mielke, J. A. Gralnick, and D. K. Newman (2005)
Appl. Envir. Microbiol.
71, 4414-4426
|Abstract »|Full Text »|PDF »
Characterization of Citrate Synthase from Geobacter sulfurreducens and Evidence for a Family of Citrate Synthases Similar to Those of Eukaryotes throughout the Geobacteraceae.
D. R. Bond, T. Mester, C. L. Nesbo, A. V. Izquierdo-Lopez, F. L. Collart, and D. R. Lovley (2005)
Appl. Envir. Microbiol.
71, 3858-3865
|Abstract »|Full Text »|PDF »
Geobacter bemidjiensis sp. nov. and Geobacter psychrophilus sp. nov., two novel Fe(III)-reducing subsurface isolates.
K. P. Nevin, D. E. Holmes, T. L. Woodard, E. S. Hinlein, D. W. Ostendorf, and D. R. Lovley (2005)
Int J Syst Evol Microbiol
55, 1667-1674
|Abstract »|Full Text »|PDF »
OmcF, a Putative c-Type Monoheme Outer Membrane Cytochrome Required for the Expression of Other Outer Membrane Cytochromes in Geobacter sulfurreducens.
B.-C. Kim, C. Leang, Y.-H. R. Ding, R. H. Glaven, M. V. Coppi, and D. R. Lovley (2005)
J. Bacteriol.
187, 4505-4513
|Abstract »|Full Text »|PDF »
Regulation of two highly similar genes, omcB and omcC, in a 10 kb chromosomal duplication in Geobacter sulfurreducens.
OptStrain: A computational framework for redesign of microbial production systems.
P. Pharkya, A. P. Burgard, and C. D. Maranas (2004)
Genome Res.
14, 2367-2376
|Abstract »|Full Text »|PDF »
Potential Role of a Novel Psychrotolerant Member of the Family Geobacteraceae, Geopsychrobacter electrodiphilus gen. nov., sp. nov., in Electricity Production by a Marine Sediment Fuel Cell.
D. E. Holmes, J. S. Nicoll, D. R. Bond, and D. R. Lovley (2004)
Appl. Envir. Microbiol.
70, 6023-6030
|Abstract »|Full Text »|PDF »
Biofuel Cells Select for Microbial Consortia That Self-Mediate Electron Transfer.
K. Rabaey, N. Boon, S. D. Siciliano, M. Verhaege, and W. Verstraete (2004)
Appl. Envir. Microbiol.
70, 5373-5382
|Abstract »|Full Text »|PDF »
Comparison of 16S rRNA, nifD, recA, gyrB, rpoB and fusA genes within the family Geobacteraceae fam. nov..
D. E. Holmes, K. P. Nevin, and D. R. Lovley (2004)
Int J Syst Evol Microbiol
54, 1591-1599
|Abstract »|Full Text »|PDF »
Extracellular Iron Reduction Is Mediated in Part by Neutral Red and Hydrogenase in Escherichia coli.
J. B. McKinlay and J. G. Zeikus (2004)
Appl. Envir. Microbiol.
70, 3467-3474
|Abstract »|Full Text »|PDF »
Identification of an Uptake Hydrogenase Required for Hydrogen-Dependent Reduction of Fe(III) and Other Electron Acceptors by Geobacter sulfurreducens.
M. V. Coppi, R. A. O'Neil, and D. R. Lovley (2004)
J. Bacteriol.
186, 3022-3028
|Abstract »|Full Text »|PDF »
Electron Transfer by Desulfobulbus propionicus to Fe(III) and Graphite Electrodes.
D. E. Holmes, D. R. Bond, and D. R. Lovley (2004)
Appl. Envir. Microbiol.
70, 1234-1237
|Abstract »|Full Text »|PDF »
Genome of Geobacter sulfurreducens: Metal Reduction in Subsurface Environments.
B. A. Methe, K. E. Nelson, J. A. Eisen, I. T. Paulsen, W. Nelson, J. F. Heidelberg, D. Wu, M. Wu, N. Ward, M. J. Beanan, et al. (2003)
Science
302, 1967-1969
|Abstract »|Full Text »|PDF »
Electricity Production by Geobacter sulfurreducens Attached to Electrodes.
Growth of Iron(III)-Reducing Bacteria on Clay Minerals as the Sole Electron Acceptor and Comparison of Growth Yields on a Variety of Oxidized Iron Forms.
J. E. Kostka, D. D. Dalton, H. Skelton, S. Dollhopf, and J. W. Stucki (2002)
Appl. Envir. Microbiol.
68, 6256-6262
|Abstract »|Full Text »|PDF »
Geomicrobiology: How Molecular-Scale Interactions Underpin Biogeochemical Systems.
