Electrogenic sulfide oxidation mediated by cable bacteria stimulates sulfate reduction in freshwater sediments.

ABSTRACT: Cable bacteria are filamentous members of the Desulfobulbaceae family that oxidize sulfide with oxygen or nitrate by transferring electrons over centimeter distances in sediments. Recent studies show that freshwater sediments can support populations of cable bacteria at densities comparable to those found in marine environments. This is surprising since sulfide availability is presumably low in freshwater sediments due to sulfate limitation of sulfate reduction. Here we show that cable bacteria stimulate sulfate reduction in freshwater sediment through promotion of sulfate availability. Comparing experimental freshwater sediments with and without active cable bacteria, we observed a three- to tenfold increase in sulfate concentrations and a 4.5-fold increase in sulfate reduction rates when

SUBMITTER: Sandfeld T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7174387 | biostudies-literature | 2020 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature