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A role for excreted quinones in extracellular electron transfer

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  • Dianne K. Newman

    (Harvard Medical School
    California Institute of Technology)

  • Roberto Kolter

    (Harvard Medical School)

Abstract

Respiratory processes in bacteria are remarkable because of their ability to use a variety of compounds, including insoluble minerals, as terminal electron acceptors1. Although much is known about microbial electron transport to soluble electron acceptors, little is understood about electron transport to insoluble compounds such as ferric oxides2,3. In anaerobic environments, humic substances can serve as electron acceptors and also as electron shuttles to ferric oxides4,5,6. To explore this process, we identified mutants in Shewanella putrefaciens that are unable to respire on humic substances. Here we show that these mutants contain disruptions in a gene that is involved in the biosynthesis of menaquinone. During growth, the wild type releases a menaquinone-related redox-active small molecule into the medium that complements the mutants. This finding raises the possibility that electron transfer to a variety of oxidants, including poorly soluble minerals, may be mediated by microbially excreted quinones that have yet to be identified.

Suggested Citation

  • Dianne K. Newman & Roberto Kolter, 2000. "A role for excreted quinones in extracellular electron transfer," Nature, Nature, vol. 405(6782), pages 94-97, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:405:y:2000:i:6782:d:10.1038_35011098
    DOI: 10.1038/35011098
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    Cited by:

    1. Liu, Fanghua & Zheng, Shiling & Wang, Bingchen & Zhang, Xiaoli, 2022. "Selectively facilitating the electron acceptance of methanogens by riboflavin," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 195(C), pages 734-741.
    2. Anna Joicy & Young-Chae Song & Jun Li & Sang-Eun Oh & Seong-Ho Jang & Yongtae Ahn, 2020. "Effect of Electrostatic Field Strength on Bioelectrochemical Nitrogen Removal from Nitrogen-Rich Wastewater," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(12), pages 1-13, June.
    3. Parkhey, Piyush & Gupta, Pratima, 2017. "Improvisations in structural features of microbial electrolytic cell and process parameters of electrohydrogenesis for efficient biohydrogen production: a review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 69(C), pages 1085-1099.
    4. Slate, Anthony J. & Whitehead, Kathryn A. & Brownson, Dale A.C. & Banks, Craig E., 2019. "Microbial fuel cells: An overview of current technology," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 101(C), pages 60-81.
    5. Wei, Jing & Hao, Xiaodi & van Loosdrecht, Mark C.M. & Li, Ji, 2018. "Feasibility analysis of anaerobic digestion of excess sludge enhanced by iron: A review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 89(C), pages 16-26.
    6. Yan, Xuejun & Lee, Hyung-Sool & Li, Nan & Wang, Xin, 2020. "The micro-niche of exoelectrogens influences bioelectricity generation in bioelectrochemical systems," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 134(C).

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