Extracellular Electron Uptake: Among Autotrophs and Mediated by Surfaces.
Autotrophic microbes can acquire electrons from solid donors such as steel, other microbial cells, or electrodes. Based on this feature, bioprocesses are being developed for the microbial electrosynthesis (MES) of useful products from the greenhouse gas CO2. Extracellular electron-transfer mechanisms involved in the acquisition of electrons from metals by electrical microbially influenced corrosion (EMIC), from other living cells by interspecies electron transfer (IET), or from an electrode during MES rely on: (i) mediators such as H2; (ii) physical contact through electron-transfer proteins; or (iii) mediator-generating enzymes detached from cells. This review explores the interactions of autotrophs with solid electron donors and their importance in nature and for biosustainable technologies.
School of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, and Life Science, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan 430070, PR China; Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, Hørsholm, Denmark.
Pier-Luc
PL
Tremblay
Department of Biological and Environment Engineering, Cornell University, 226 Riley-Robb Hall, Ithaca, NY, USA; Department of Applied Geosciences, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.
Largus T
LT
Angenent
School of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, and Life Science, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan 430070, PR China; Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, Hørsholm, Denmark. Electronic address: zhang@biosustain.dtu.dk.
Tian
T
Zhang
D052818:Autotrophic Processes; D001419:Bacteria / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D019149:Bioreactors / Q000382:microbiology; D002245:Carbon Dioxide / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D055664:Electrochemical Techniques; D004583:Electrons; D005110:Extracellular Space / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D006859:Hydrogen / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D013499:Surface Properties
D002245:Carbon Dioxide; D006859:Hydrogen
biocorrosion; extracellular electron transfer; interspecies electron transfer; microbial electrosynthesis