Skip to main content
NCBI home page
Applied and Environmental Microbiology logoLink to Applied and Environmental Microbiology
. 1995 Jun;61(6):2132–2138. doi: 10.1128/aem.61.6.2132-2138.1995

Fe(III) and S0 reduction by Pelobacter carbinolicus.

D R Lovley, E J Phillips, D J Lonergan, P K Widman
PMCID: PMC167486  PMID: 7793935

Abstract

There is a close phylogenetic relationship between Pelobacter species and members of the genera Desulfuromonas and Geobacter, and yet there has been a perplexing lack of physiological similarities. Pelobacter species have been considered to have a fermentative metabolism. In contrast, Desulfuromonas and Geobacter species have a respiratory metabolism with Fe(III) serving as the common terminal electron acceptor in all species. However, the ability of Pelobacter species to reduce Fe(III) had not been previously evaluated. When a culture of Pelobacter carbinolicus that had grown by fermentation of 2,3-butanediol was inoculated into the same medium supplemented with Fe(III), the Fe(III) was reduced. There was less accumulation of ethanol and more production of acetate in the presence of Fe(III). P. carbinolicus grew with ethanol as the sole electron donor and Fe(III) as the sole electron acceptor. Ethanol was metabolized to acetate. Growth was also possible on Fe(III) with the oxidation of propanol to propionate or butanol to butyrate if acetate was provided as a carbon source. P. carbinolicus appears capable of conserving energy to support growth from Fe(III) respiration as it also grew with H2 or formate as the electron donor and Fe(III) as the electron acceptor. Once adapted to Fe(III) reduction, P. carbinolicus could also grow on ethanol or H2 with S0 as the electron acceptor. P. carbinolicus did not contain detectable concentrations of the c-type cytochromes that previous studies have suggested are involved in electron transport to Fe(III) in other organisms that conserve energy to support growth from Fe(III) reduction.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Full Text

The Full Text of this article is available as a PDF (293.9 KB).

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Arnold R. G., DiChristina T. J., Hoffmann M. R. Inhibitor studies of dissimilative Fe(III) reduction by Pseudomonas sp. strain 200 ("Pseudomonas ferrireductans") Appl Environ Microbiol. 1986 Aug;52(2):281–289. doi: 10.1128/aem.52.2.281-289.1986. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Balch W. E., Fox G. E., Magrum L. J., Woese C. R., Wolfe R. S. Methanogens: reevaluation of a unique biological group. Microbiol Rev. 1979 Jun;43(2):260–296. doi: 10.1128/mr.43.2.260-296.1979. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Blumentals I. I., Itoh M., Olson G. J., Kelly R. M. Role of Polysulfides in Reduction of Elemental Sulfur by the Hyperthermophilic Archaebacterium Pyrococcus furiosus. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1990 May;56(5):1255–1262. doi: 10.1128/aem.56.5.1255-1262.1990. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Bryant M. P., Campbell L. L., Reddy C. A., Crabill M. R. Growth of desulfovibrio in lactate or ethanol media low in sulfate in association with H2-utilizing methanogenic bacteria. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1977 May;33(5):1162–1169. doi: 10.1128/aem.33.5.1162-1169.1977. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Caccavo F., Blakemore R. P., Lovley D. R. A Hydrogen-Oxidizing, Fe(III)-Reducing Microorganism from the Great Bay Estuary, New Hampshire. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1992 Oct;58(10):3211–3216. doi: 10.1128/aem.58.10.3211-3216.1992. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Caccavo F., Jr, Lonergan D. J., Lovley D. R., Davis M., Stolz J. F., McInerney M. J. Geobacter sulfurreducens sp. nov., a hydrogen- and acetate-oxidizing dissimilatory metal-reducing microorganism. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1994 Oct;60(10):3752–3759. doi: 10.1128/aem.60.10.3752-3759.1994. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. DiChristina T. J., DeLong E. F. Design and application of rRNA-targeted oligonucleotide probes for the dissimilatory iron- and manganese-reducing bacterium Shewanella putrefaciens. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1993 Dec;59(12):4152–4160. doi: 10.1128/aem.59.12.4152-4160.1993. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Eden P. A., Schmidt T. M., Blakemore R. P., Pace N. R. Phylogenetic analysis of Aquaspirillum magnetotacticum using polymerase chain reaction-amplified 16S rRNA-specific DNA. Int J Syst Bacteriol. 1991 Apr;41(2):324–325. doi: 10.1099/00207713-41-2-324. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Felsenstein J. Evolutionary trees from DNA sequences: a maximum likelihood approach. J Mol Evol. 1981;17(6):368–376. doi: 10.1007/BF01734359. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Finster K., Bak F. Complete oxidation of propionate, valerate, succinate, and other organic compounds by newly isolated types of marine, anaerobic, mesophilic, gram-negative, sulfur-reducing eubacteria. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1993 May;59(5):1452–1460. doi: 10.1128/aem.59.5.1452-1460.1993. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Heijthuijsen J. H., Hansen T. A. Betaine fermentation and oxidation by marine desulfuromonas strains. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1989 Apr;55(4):965–969. doi: 10.1128/aem.55.4.965-969.1989. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Hobbie J. E., Daley R. J., Jasper S. Use of nuclepore filters for counting bacteria by fluorescence microscopy. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1977 May;33(5):1225–1228. doi: 10.1128/aem.33.5.1225-1228.1977. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. LOWRY O. H., ROSEBROUGH N. J., FARR A. L., RANDALL R. J. Protein measurement with the Folin phenol reagent. J Biol Chem. 1951 Nov;193(1):265–275. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Lane D. J., Field K. G., Olsen G. J., Pace N. R. Reverse transcriptase sequencing of ribosomal RNA for phylogenetic analysis. Methods Enzymol. 1988;167:138–144. doi: 10.1016/0076-6879(88)67015-7. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Lane D. J., Pace B., Olsen G. J., Stahl D. A., Sogin M. L., Pace N. R. Rapid determination of 16S ribosomal RNA sequences for phylogenetic analyses. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1985 Oct;82(20):6955–6959. doi: 10.1073/pnas.82.20.6955. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Larsen N., Olsen G. J., Maidak B. L., McCaughey M. J., Overbeek R., Macke T. J., Marsh T. L., Woese C. R. The ribosomal database project. Nucleic Acids Res. 1993 Jul 1;21(13):3021–3023. doi: 10.1093/nar/21.13.3021. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Lovley D. R. Dissimilatory metal reduction. Annu Rev Microbiol. 1993;47:263–290. doi: 10.1146/annurev.mi.47.100193.001403. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Lovley D. R., Giovannoni S. J., White D. C., Champine J. E., Phillips E. J., Gorby Y. A., Goodwin S. Geobacter metallireducens gen. nov. sp. nov., a microorganism capable of coupling the complete oxidation of organic compounds to the reduction of iron and other metals. Arch Microbiol. 1993;159(4):336–344. doi: 10.1007/BF00290916. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. Lovley D. R., Greening R. C., Ferry J. G. Rapidly growing rumen methanogenic organism that synthesizes coenzyme M and has a high affinity for formate. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1984 Jul;48(1):81–87. doi: 10.1128/aem.48.1.81-87.1984. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. Lovley D. R., Phillips E. J. Competitive mechanisms for inhibition of sulfate reduction and methane production in the zone of ferric iron reduction in sediments. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1987 Nov;53(11):2636–2641. doi: 10.1128/aem.53.11.2636-2641.1987. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. Lovley D. R., Phillips E. J., Lonergan D. J. Hydrogen and Formate Oxidation Coupled to Dissimilatory Reduction of Iron or Manganese by Alteromonas putrefaciens. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1989 Mar;55(3):700–706. doi: 10.1128/aem.55.3.700-706.1989. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  22. Lovley D. R., Phillips E. J. Novel mode of microbial energy metabolism: organic carbon oxidation coupled to dissimilatory reduction of iron or manganese. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1988 Jun;54(6):1472–1480. doi: 10.1128/aem.54.6.1472-1480.1988. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  23. Lovley D. R., Phillips E. J. Organic matter mineralization with reduction of ferric iron in anaerobic sediments. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1986 Apr;51(4):683–689. doi: 10.1128/aem.51.4.683-689.1986. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  24. Lovley D. R., Phillips E. J. Reduction of Chromate by Desulfovibrio vulgaris and Its c(3) Cytochrome. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1994 Feb;60(2):726–728. doi: 10.1128/aem.60.2.726-728.1994. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  25. Lovley D. R., Widman P. K., Woodward J. C., Phillips E. J. Reduction of uranium by cytochrome c3 of Desulfovibrio vulgaris. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1993 Nov;59(11):3572–3576. doi: 10.1128/aem.59.11.3572-3576.1993. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  26. Miller T. L., Wolin M. J. A serum bottle modification of the Hungate technique for cultivating obligate anaerobes. Appl Microbiol. 1974 May;27(5):985–987. doi: 10.1128/am.27.5.985-987.1974. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  27. Myers C. R., Myers J. M. Localization of cytochromes to the outer membrane of anaerobically grown Shewanella putrefaciens MR-1. J Bacteriol. 1992 Jun;174(11):3429–3438. doi: 10.1128/jb.174.11.3429-3438.1992. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  28. Myers C. R., Nealson K. H. Bacterial manganese reduction and growth with manganese oxide as the sole electron acceptor. Science. 1988 Jun 3;240(4857):1319–1321. doi: 10.1126/science.240.4857.1319. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  29. Obuekwe C. O., Westlake D. W., Cook F. D. Effect of nitrate on reduction of ferric iron by a bacterium isolated from crude oil. Can J Microbiol. 1981 Jul;27(7):692–697. doi: 10.1139/m81-107. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  30. Obuekwe C. O., Westlake D. W. Effects of medium composition on cell pigmentation, cytochrome content, and ferric iron reduction in a Pseudomonas sp. isolated from crude oil. Can J Microbiol. 1982 Aug;28(8):989–992. doi: 10.1139/m82-148. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  31. Olsen G. J., Matsuda H., Hagstrom R., Overbeek R. fastDNAmL: a tool for construction of phylogenetic trees of DNA sequences using maximum likelihood. Comput Appl Biosci. 1994 Feb;10(1):41–48. doi: 10.1093/bioinformatics/10.1.41. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  32. Pfennig N., Biebl H. Desulfuromonas acetoxidans gen. nov. and sp. nov., a new anaerobic, sulfur-reducing, acetate-oxidizing bacterium. Arch Microbiol. 1976 Oct 11;110(1):3–12. doi: 10.1007/BF00416962. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  33. Roden E. E., Lovley D. R. Dissimilatory Fe(III) Reduction by the Marine Microorganism Desulfuromonas acetoxidans. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1993 Mar;59(3):734–742. doi: 10.1128/aem.59.3.734-742.1993. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  34. Schink B., Stieb M. Fermentative degradation of polyethylene glycol by a strictly anaerobic, gram-negative, nonsporeforming bacterium, Pelobacter venetianus sp. nov. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1983 Jun;45(6):1905–1913. doi: 10.1128/aem.45.6.1905-1913.1983. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  35. Weisburg W. G., Barns S. M., Pelletier D. A., Lane D. J. 16S ribosomal DNA amplification for phylogenetic study. J Bacteriol. 1991 Jan;173(2):697–703. doi: 10.1128/jb.173.2.697-703.1991. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Applied and Environmental Microbiology are provided here courtesy of American Society for Microbiology (ASM)

RESOURCES