The hidden chemolithoautotrophic metabolism of Geobacter sulfurreducens uncovered by adaptation to formate.

ABSTRACT: Multiple Fe(III)-reducing Geobacter species including the model Geobacter sulfurreducens are thought to be incapable of carbon dioxide fixation. The discovery of the reversed oxidative tricarboxylic acid cycle (roTCA) for CO₂ reduction with citrate synthase as key enzyme raises the possibility that G. sulfurreducens harbors the metabolic potential for chemolithoautotrophic growth. We investigate this hypothesis by transferring G. sulfurreducens PCA serially with Fe(III) as electron acceptor and formate as electron donor and carbon source. The evolved strain T17-3 grew chemolithoautotrophically with a 2.7-fold population increase over 48 h and a Fe(III) reduction rate of 417.5 μM h^-1. T17-3 also grew with CO₂ as carbon source. Mutations in T17-3 and enzymati

SUBMITTER: Zhang T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7368069 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature