Construction of an Electron Transfer Mediator Pathway for Bioelectrosynthesis by Escherichia coli
Microbial electrosynthesis (MES) or electro-fermentation (EF) is a promising microbial electrochemical technology for the synthesis of valuable chemicals or high-value fuels with aid of microbial cells as catalysts. By introducing electrical energy (current), fermentation environments can be altered...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2020-10-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fbioe.2020.590667/full |
| _version_ | 1828868926159716352 |
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| author | Jiao Feng Qiuhao Lu Kang Li Sheng Xu Xin Wang Kequan Chen Pingkai Ouyang |
| author_facet | Jiao Feng Qiuhao Lu Kang Li Sheng Xu Xin Wang Kequan Chen Pingkai Ouyang |
| author_sort | Jiao Feng |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Microbial electrosynthesis (MES) or electro-fermentation (EF) is a promising microbial electrochemical technology for the synthesis of valuable chemicals or high-value fuels with aid of microbial cells as catalysts. By introducing electrical energy (current), fermentation environments can be altered or controlled in which the microbial cells are affected. The key role for electrical energy is to supply electrons to microbial metabolism. To realize electricity utility, a process termed inward extracellular electron transfer (EET) is necessary, and its efficiency is crucial to bioelectrochemical systems. The use of electron mediators was one of the main ways to realize electron transfer and improve EET efficiency. To break through some limitation of exogenous electron mediators, we introduced the phenazine-1-carboxylic acid (PCA) pathway from Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1 into Escherichia coli. The engineered E. coli facilitated reduction of fumarate by using PCA as endogenous electron mediator driven by electricity. Furthermore, the heterologously expressed PCA pathway in E. coli led to better EET efficiency and a strong metabolic shift to greater production of reduced metabolites, but lower biomass in the system. Then, we found that synthesis of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), as the “energy currency” in metabolism, was also affected. The reduction of menaquinon was demonstrated as one of the key reactions in self-excreted PCA-mediated succinate electrosynthesis. This study demonstrates the feasibility of electron transfer between the electrode and E. coli cells using heterologous self-excreted PCA as an electron transfer mediator in a bioelectrochemical system and lays a foundation for subsequent optimization. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-13T05:41:25Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-b47f0600df20439a9089e09ee2421ad7 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2296-4185 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-13T05:41:25Z |
| publishDate | 2020-10-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology |
| spelling | doaj.art-b47f0600df20439a9089e09ee2421ad72022-12-21T23:57:47ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology2296-41852020-10-01810.3389/fbioe.2020.590667590667Construction of an Electron Transfer Mediator Pathway for Bioelectrosynthesis by Escherichia coliJiao FengQiuhao LuKang LiSheng XuXin WangKequan ChenPingkai OuyangMicrobial electrosynthesis (MES) or electro-fermentation (EF) is a promising microbial electrochemical technology for the synthesis of valuable chemicals or high-value fuels with aid of microbial cells as catalysts. By introducing electrical energy (current), fermentation environments can be altered or controlled in which the microbial cells are affected. The key role for electrical energy is to supply electrons to microbial metabolism. To realize electricity utility, a process termed inward extracellular electron transfer (EET) is necessary, and its efficiency is crucial to bioelectrochemical systems. The use of electron mediators was one of the main ways to realize electron transfer and improve EET efficiency. To break through some limitation of exogenous electron mediators, we introduced the phenazine-1-carboxylic acid (PCA) pathway from Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1 into Escherichia coli. The engineered E. coli facilitated reduction of fumarate by using PCA as endogenous electron mediator driven by electricity. Furthermore, the heterologously expressed PCA pathway in E. coli led to better EET efficiency and a strong metabolic shift to greater production of reduced metabolites, but lower biomass in the system. Then, we found that synthesis of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), as the “energy currency” in metabolism, was also affected. The reduction of menaquinon was demonstrated as one of the key reactions in self-excreted PCA-mediated succinate electrosynthesis. This study demonstrates the feasibility of electron transfer between the electrode and E. coli cells using heterologous self-excreted PCA as an electron transfer mediator in a bioelectrochemical system and lays a foundation for subsequent optimization.https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fbioe.2020.590667/fullelectron transfer mediatorphenazine-1-carboxylic acidEscherichia colibioelectrocatalysissuccinate electrosynthesis |
| spellingShingle | Jiao Feng Qiuhao Lu Kang Li Sheng Xu Xin Wang Kequan Chen Pingkai Ouyang Construction of an Electron Transfer Mediator Pathway for Bioelectrosynthesis by Escherichia coli Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology electron transfer mediator phenazine-1-carboxylic acid Escherichia coli bioelectrocatalysis succinate electrosynthesis |
| title | Construction of an Electron Transfer Mediator Pathway for Bioelectrosynthesis by Escherichia coli |
| title_full | Construction of an Electron Transfer Mediator Pathway for Bioelectrosynthesis by Escherichia coli |
| title_fullStr | Construction of an Electron Transfer Mediator Pathway for Bioelectrosynthesis by Escherichia coli |
| title_full_unstemmed | Construction of an Electron Transfer Mediator Pathway for Bioelectrosynthesis by Escherichia coli |
| title_short | Construction of an Electron Transfer Mediator Pathway for Bioelectrosynthesis by Escherichia coli |
| title_sort | construction of an electron transfer mediator pathway for bioelectrosynthesis by escherichia coli |
| topic | electron transfer mediator phenazine-1-carboxylic acid Escherichia coli bioelectrocatalysis succinate electrosynthesis |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fbioe.2020.590667/full |
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