Issue 64, 2014

Bio-electrocatalyzed electron efflux in Gram positive and Gram negative bacteria: an insight into disparity in electron transfer kinetics

Abstract

Electron transfer (ET) behavior of bacteria varies significantly in a bio-electrocatalyzed environment. However, the exact mechanisms of ET towards electrodes are not well defined in most electrochemically active microorganisms. The bacterial cell structure and composition affects the ET properties as well as their growth. In the present study, disparity in ET between Gram positive (GPB, Bacillus subtilis) and Gram negative (GNB, Pseudomonas otitidis) bacteria (both differ in chemical and physical properties of cell wall/structure) and combination of both (GPB + GNB) was evaluated individually in bio-electrochemical cells (BECB, BECP and BECP+B). P. otitidis being a GNB exhibited mediated electron transfer (MET) through the redox shuttles detected as a peak in derivative of CV (DCV) analysis with an extra cellular electron transfer (EET) site potential of −36 mV corresponding to the phenazine derivative. GPB, B. subtilis exhibited direct electron transfer (DET) through the membrane bound proteins with peak potentials of 0.04 V, 0.211 V and 0.423 V that correspond to cytochrome-C, bc1 and aa3. Electron transfer capabilities in terms of electron transfer rate (Kapp; 81 s−1), redox catalytic currents (OC: 40 mA; RC: −50 mA), power density (63.3 mW m−2), sustainable anodic resistance (5 kΩ) and currents (5 mA) were found to be higher in GNB in comparison to GPB. The thin and permeable nature of the cell wall might have permitted the easy shuttling of redox mediators (MET) aiding efficient electron transfer in BECP in comparison to BECP+B and BECB attributed to the significant role of GNB as electrochemically active bacteria.

Graphical abstract: Bio-electrocatalyzed electron efflux in Gram positive and Gram negative bacteria: an insight into disparity in electron transfer kinetics

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
17 Apr 2014
Accepted
04 Jul 2014
First published
06 Aug 2014

RSC Adv., 2014,4, 34045-34055

Author version available

Bio-electrocatalyzed electron efflux in Gram positive and Gram negative bacteria: an insight into disparity in electron transfer kinetics

J. A. Modestra and S. V. Mohan, RSC Adv., 2014, 4, 34045 DOI: 10.1039/C4RA03489A

To request permission to reproduce material from this article, please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

If you are an author contributing to an RSC publication, you do not need to request permission provided correct acknowledgement is given.

If you are the author of this article, you do not need to request permission to reproduce figures and diagrams provided correct acknowledgement is given. If you want to reproduce the whole article in a third-party publication (excluding your thesis/dissertation for which permission is not required) please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

Read more about how to correctly acknowledge RSC content.

Social activity

Spotlight

Advertisements