Shewanella species have attracted considerable attention in recen

Shewanella species have attracted considerable attention in recent years because of their respiratory versatility and potential applicability to biotechnological processes, such as bioremediation (Hau & Gralnick, 2007) and microbial fuel cells (MFCs) (Kim et al., 1999; Newton et al., 2009). Shewanella oneidensis MR-1 is the most extensively studied strain in the genus Shewanella in terms of its annotated genome sequence (Heidelberg et al., 2002), genetic accessibility, and abilities to respire solid

metal species (e.g. iron and manganese oxides) (Myers & Nealson, 1988a; Nealson & Saffarini, 1994). Solid metal respiration requires distinct mechanisms to transfer electrons from intracellular electron donors (e.g. NADH) to extracellular electron Quizartinib acceptors. Extensive studies have been performed to understand extracellular electron-transfer PLX-4720 chemical structure (EET) pathways of S. oneidensis MR-1 (Shi et al., 2007;

Fredrickson et al., 2008). These studies have revealed that this bacterium has multiple EET pathways, including (i) direct pathways with the aid of outer-membrane cytochromes (OM-cyts), such as MtrC and OmcA (Shi et al., 2007) and (ii) indirect pathways via electron-shuttle compounds, such as flavins (Marsili et al., 2008; von Canstein et al., 2008). Studies have also revealed that EET and solid metal reduction are complex processes that are influenced by a variety of cellular factors, including nanowires (Gorby et al., 2006; El-Naggar et al., 2010) and cell-surface polysaccharides (Kouzuma et al., 2010). It is therefore reasonable to speculate that many unknown

factors are also involved in EET for solid metal reduction. To identify cellular components necessary for manganese-oxide (MnO2) reduction, this study constructed a random transposon (Tn)-insertion mutant library of S. oneidensis MR-1 and obtained a mutant with a decreased ability to reduce MnO2 not after the selection of mutants on agar plates containing MnO2. Analyses of the mutant revealed that siderophore-mediated iron acquisition is involved in OM-cyt biosynthesis and MnO2 reduction. Shewanella strains were cultured at 30 °C in either LB medium or a modified lactate minimal medium (LMM) containing 5 μM FeSO4·7H2O as an iron source (Kouzuma et al., 2010). In assays examining iron concentration dependences, a FeSO4·7H2O-free trace-mineral solution was used. For anaerobic cultivation, Shewanella cells were inoculated in bottles (approximately 100 mL in capacity) containing 80 mL of LMM. They were capped with Teflon-coated butyl rubber septums, sealed with aluminum crimp seals, purged with pure nitrogen gas, and inoculated with bacteria (precultured in LMM with fumarate) at an initial optical density at 600 nm (OD600 nm) of 0.01. MnO2 and Fe(III) oxide powders were prepared according to Lovley & Phillips (1988). When necessary, 15 μg mL−1 gentamicin (Gm) or 50 μg mL−1 kanamycin (Km) was added to culture media. Tn mutagenesis of S.

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