Syntrophic anaerobic photosynthesis via direct interspecies electron transfer

Phuc T. Ha, Stephen R. Lindemann, Liang Shi, Alice C. Dohnalkova, James K. Fredrickson, Michael T. Madigan and Haluk Beyenal ()
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Phuc T. Ha: The Gene and Linda Voiland School of Chemical Engineering and Bioengineering, Washington State University
Stephen R. Lindemann: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
Liang Shi: School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geoscience
Alice C. Dohnalkova: Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
James K. Fredrickson: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
Michael T. Madigan: Southern Illinois University
Haluk Beyenal: The Gene and Linda Voiland School of Chemical Engineering and Bioengineering, Washington State University

Nature Communications, 2017, vol. 8, issue 1, 1-7

Abstract: Abstract Microbial phototrophs, key primary producers on Earth, use H2O, H2, H2S and other reduced inorganic compounds as electron donors. Here we describe a form of metabolism linking anoxygenic photosynthesis to anaerobic respiration that we call ‘syntrophic anaerobic photosynthesis’. We show that photoautotrophy in the green sulfur bacterium Prosthecochloris aestaurii can be driven by either electrons from a solid electrode or acetate oxidation via direct interspecies electron transfer from a heterotrophic partner bacterium, Geobacter sulfurreducens. Photosynthetic growth of P. aestuarii using reductant provided by either an electrode or syntrophy is robust and light-dependent. In contrast, P. aestuarii does not grow in co-culture with a G. sulfurreducens mutant lacking a trans-outer membrane porin-cytochrome protein complex required for direct intercellular electron transfer. Syntrophic anaerobic photosynthesis is therefore a carbon cycling process that could take place in anoxic environments. This process could be exploited for biotechnological applications, such as waste treatment and bioenergy production, using engineered phototrophic microbial communities.

Date: 2017
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DOI: 10.1038/ncomms13924

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