title: Metabolite-enabled mutualistic interaction between Shewanella oneidensis and Escherichia coli in a co-culture using an electrode as electron acceptor.
abstract: Mutualistic interactions in planktonic microbial communities have been extensively studied. However, our understanding on mutualistic communities consisting of co-existing planktonic cells and biofilms is limited. Here, we report a planktonic cells-biofilm mutualistic system established by the fermentative bacterium Escherichia coli and the dissimilatory metal-reducing bacterium Shewanella oneidensis in a bioelectrochemical device, where planktonic cells in the anode media interact with the biofilms on the electrode. Our results show that the transfer of formate is the key mechanism in this mutualistic system. More importantly, we demonstrate that the relative distribution of E. coli and S. oneidensis in the liquid media and biofilm is likely driven by their metabolic functions towards an optimum communal metabolism in the bioelectrochemical device. RNA sequencing-based transcriptomic analyses of the interacting organisms in the mutualistic system potentially reveal differential expression of genes involved in extracellular electron transfer pathways in both species in the planktonic cultures and biofilms.
authors.affiliation: 1] School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 639798, Singapore [2] Singapore Centre on Environmental Life Sciences Engineering (SCELSE), Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 637551, Singapore.
authors.forename: Victor Bochuan
authors.initials: VB
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Singapore Centre on Environmental Life Sciences Engineering (SCELSE), Interdisciplinary Graduate School, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 639798, Singapore.
authors.forename: Krishnakumar
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sivakumar
authors.affiliation: 1] School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 637551, Singapore [2] Singapore Centre on Environmental Life Sciences Engineering (SCELSE), Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 637551, Singapore.
authors.forename: Liang
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 639798, Singapore.
authors.forename: Qichun
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: 1] School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 637551, Singapore [2] Singapore Centre on Environmental Life Sciences Engineering (SCELSE), Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 637551, Singapore [3] School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences and Centre for Marine Bio-Innovation, The University of New South Wales, Sydney NSW 2052, Australia.
authors.forename: Staffan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kjelleberg
authors.affiliation: 1] School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 639798, Singapore [2] Singapore Centre on Environmental Life Sciences Engineering (SCELSE), Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 637551, Singapore.
authors.forename: Say Chye Joachim
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Loo
authors.affiliation: 1] School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 637511, Singapore [2] Singapore Centre on Environmental Life Sciences Engineering (SCELSE), Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 637551, Singapore.
authors.forename: Bin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Cao
mesh_terms: D001674:Bioelectric Energy Sources; D018920:Coculture Techniques; D004566:Electrodes; D004583:Electrons; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D005110:Extracellular Space; D005415:Flavins / Q000378:metabolism; D005561:Formates / Q000378:metabolism; D056265:Microbial Interactions; D008954:Models, Biological; D020592:Shewanella / Q000378:metabolism*; D059467:Transcriptome
chemical_list: D005415:Flavins; D005561:Formates; C030544:formic acid