INVESTIGADORES
SCHROTT German David
congresos y reuniones científicas
Título:
Macromolecular evaluation of growth in electricity-producing biofilms: Current production of G. sulfurreducens biofilms grown in graphite electrodes is related to the physiological state of biofilm.
Autor/es:
GERMÁN DAVID SCHROTT; MARIA VICTORIA ORDÓÑEZ; JUAN PABLO BUSALMEN
Reunión:
Congreso; Electron transfer at the microbe-mineral interface; 2012
Resumen:
G. sulfurreducens can use extracellular insoluble
electron acceptor during anaerobic respiration. It can also use a polarized
electrode for this function thus producing an electric current. Elucidating
mechanisms behind these modes of respiration is significant for the development
of clean energy and waste treatment, which are still under discussion. Besides
this, controlling steps in current production are thought to be at the
metabolic activity of cells and remain to be determined. In this work we profiled
the content of macromolecules relevant for evaluating the population physiology
and growth, over the development of Geobacter
sulfurreducens biofilms on polarized graphite electrodes. DNA accumulation
served as direct measurement of cell number, while protein content allowed
biomass quantification. The RNA/DNA ratio on the other hand, was taken as a
good indicator for the physiological state of biofilms. Contrasting macromolecular
data with current production reveled typical phases along the biofilm growth,
including lag, exponential and stationary growth phases. Importantly, current is
not related to biomass accumulation as previously suggested, but to the
physiological state of biofilms as indicated by the RNA/DNA ratio.
Supported by European
Commission (7th framework program, BacWire proyect)