Graphene oxide-dependent growth and self-aggregation into a hydrogel complex of exoelectrogenic bacteria.

ABSTRACT: Graphene oxide (GO) is reduced by certain exoelectrogenic bacteria, but its effects on bacterial growth and metabolism are a controversial issue. This study aimed to determine whether GO functions as the terminal electron acceptor to allow specific growth of and electricity production by exoelectrogenic bacteria. Cultivation of environmental samples with GO and acetate as the sole substrate could specifically enrich exoelectrogenic bacteria with Geobacter species predominating (51-68% of the total populations). Interestingly, bacteria in these cultures self-aggregated into a conductive hydrogel complex together with biologically reduced GO (rGO). A novel GO-respiring bacterium designated Geobacter sp. strain R4 was isolated from this hydrogel complex. This organism exhibited stable electri

SUBMITTER: Yoshida N 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4761877 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature