Novel electrochemically active bacterium phylogenetically related to Arcobacter butzleri, isolated from a microbial fuel cell.
Exoelectrogenic bacteria are organisms that can transfer electrons to extracellular insoluble electron acceptors and have the potential to be used in devices such as microbial fuel cells (MFCs). Currently, exoelectrogens have been identified in the Alpha-, Beta-, Gamma- and Deltaproteobacteria, as well as in the Firmicutes and Acidobacteria. Here, we describe use of culture-independent methods to identify two members of the genus Arcobacter in the Epsilonproteobacteria that are selectively enriched in an acetate-fed MFC. One of these organisms, Arcobacter butzleri strain ED-1, associates with the electrode and rapidly generates a strong electronegative potential as a pure culture when it is supplied with acetate. A mixed-community MFC in which approximately 90% of the population is comprised of the two Arcobacter species generates a maximal power density of 296 mW/liter. This demonstration of exoelectrogenesis by strain ED-1 is the first time that this property has been shown for members of this genus.
Institute of Evolutionary Biology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3JR, UK.
Viatcheslav
V
Fedorovich
Matthew C
MC
Knighton
Eulyn
E
Pagaling
F Bruce
FB
Ward
Andrew
A
Free
Igor
I
Goryanin
D000085:Acetates / Q000378:metabolism; D020640:Arcobacter / Q000145:classification* / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D015373:Bacterial Typing Techniques; D001674:Bioelectric Energy Sources / Q000382:microbiology*; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D016172:DNA Fingerprinting; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D004560:Electricity; D004566:Electrodes / Q000382:microbiology; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D012150:Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000235:genetics; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA
D000085:Acetates; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S