The electrifying physiology of Geobacter bacteria, 30 years on.

The electrifying physiology of Geobacter bacteria, 30 years on. Adv Microb Physiol. 2019;74:1-96 Authors: Reguera G, Kashefi K Abstract The family Geobacteraceae, with its only valid genus Geobacter, comprises deltaproteobacteria ubiquitous in soil, sediments, and subsurface environments where metal reduction is an active process. Research for almost three decades has provided novel insights into environmental processes and biogeochemical reactions not previously known to be carried out by microorganisms. At the heart of the environmental roles played by Geobacter bacteria is their ability to integrate redox pathways and regulatory checkpoints that maximize growth efficiency with electron donors derived from the decomposition of organic matter while respiring metal oxides, particularly the often abundant oxides of ferric iron. This metabolic specialization is complemented by versatile metabolic reactions, respiratory chains, and sensory networks that allow specific members to adaptively respond to environmental cues to integrate organic and inorganic contaminants in their oxidative and reductive metabolism, respectively. Thus, Geobacteraceae are important members of the microbial communities that degrade hydrocarbon contaminants under iron-reducing conditions and that contribute, directly or indirectly, to the reduction of radionuclides, toxic metals, and oxidized species of nitrogen. Their ability to produce conductive pili as nanow...
Source: Advances in Microbial Physiology - Category: Microbiology Authors: Tags: Adv Microb Physiol Source Type: research