A novel protein fold and extreme domain swapping in the dimeric TorD chaperone from Shewanella massilia

TorD is the cytoplasmic chaperone involved in the maturation of the molybdoenzyme TorA prior to the translocation of the folded protein into the periplasm. The X-ray structure at 2.4 A resolution of the TorD dimer reveals extreme domain swapping between the two subunits. The all-helical architecture of the globular domains within the intertwined molecular dimer shows no similarity with known protein structures. According to sequence similarities, this new fold probably represents the architecture of the chaperones associated with the bacterial DMSO/TMAO reductases and also that of proteins of yet unknown functions. The occurrence of multiple oligomeric forms and the chaperone activity of both monomeric and dimeric TorD raise questions about the possible biological role of domain swapping in this protein.

Engineering the interaction between micro-organisms and construction materials

The influence of micro-organisms on degradation of mineral materials, cement bound systems, wood and steel is a rather new subject of research slowly becoming recognised by the 'classical' technical disciplines. An increasing amount of literature appears on biodeterioration of construction materials and microbial activity can not be neglected as a determining factor in the deterioration process. Microbial communities interact in many different ways with mineral materials and their external environment. They can be present on the surface or in crevices and fissures within the material and often their actions become organized in a biofilm. The interaction with the material and its environment can give rise to biodeterioration. Yet recent findings show that in some cases the microbial interaction can lead to protection of materials. It is our mission for the future to engineer the microbiological processes with positive impact on construction materials with a view to practical applications.

Reduction kinetics of Fe(III), Co(III), U(VI), Cr(VI), and Tc(VII) in cultures of dissimilatory metal-reducing bacteria

The reduction kinetics of Fe(III)citrate, Fe(III)NTA, Co(III)EDTA-, U(VI)O(2) (2+), Cr(VI)O(4) (2-), and Tc(VII)O(4) (-) were studied in cultures of dissimilatory metal reducing bacteria (DMRB): Shewanella alga strain BrY, Shewanella putrefaciens strain CN32, Shewanella oneidensis strain MR-1, and Geobacter metallireducens strain GS-15. Reduction rates were metal specific with the following rate trend: Fe(III)citrate > or = Fe(III)NTA > Co(III)EDTA- >> UO(2)(2+) > CrO(4)(2-) > TcO(4)(-), except for CrO(4) (2-) when H(2) was used as electron donor. The metal reduction rates were also electron donor dependent with faster rates observed for H(2) than lactate- for all Shewanella species despite higher initial lactate (10 mM) than H2 (0.48 mM). The bioreduction of CrO(4) (2-) was anomalously slower compared to the other metals with H(2) as an electron donor relative to lactate and reduction ceased before all the CrO(4)(2-) had been reduced. Transmission electron microscopic (TEM) and energy-dispersive spectroscopic (EDS) analyses performed on selected solids at experiment termination found precipitates of reduced U and Tc in association with the outer cell membrane and in the periplasm of the bacteria. The kinetic rates of metal reduction were correlated with the precipitation of reduced metal phases and their causal relationship discussed. The experimental rate data were well described by a Monod kinetic expression with respect to the electron acceptor for all metals except CrO(4)(2-), for which the Monod model had to be modified to account for incomplete reduction. However, the Monod models became statistically over-parameterized, resulting in large uncertainties of their parameters. A first-order approximation to the Monod model also effectively described the experimental results, but the rate coefficients exhibited far less uncertainty. The more precise rate coefficients of the first-order model provided a better means than the Monod parameters, to quantitatively compare the reduction rates between metals, electron donors, and DMRB species.

A directional electron transfer regulator based on heme-chain architecture in the small tetraheme cytochrome c from Shewanella oneidensis

The macroscopic and microscopic redox potentials of the four hemes of the small tetraheme cytochrome c from Shewanella oneidensis were determined. The microscopic redox potentials show that the order of reduction is from hemes in the C-terminal domain (hemes 3 and 4) to the N-terminal domain (heme 1), demonstrating the polarization of the tetraheme chain during reduction. This makes heme 4 the most efficient electron delivery site. Furthermore, multi-step reduction of other redox centers through either heme 4 or heme 3 is shown to be possible. This has provided new insights into the two-electron reduction of the flavin in the homologous flavocytochrome c-fumarate reductase.

Growth of iron(III)-reducing bacteria on clay minerals as the sole electron acceptor and comparison of growth yields on a variety of oxidized iron forms

Smectite clay minerals are abundant in soils and sediments worldwide and are typically rich in Fe. While recent investigations have shown that the structural Fe(III) bound in clay minerals is reduced by microorganisms, previous studies have not tested growth with clay minerals as the sole electron acceptor. Here we have demonstrated that a pure culture of Shewanella oneidensis strain MR-1 as well as enrichment cultures of Fe(III)-reducing bacteria from rice paddy soil and subsurface sediments are capable of conserving energy for growth with the structural Fe(III) bound in smectite clay as the sole electron acceptor. Pure cultures of S. oneidensis were used for more detailed growth rate and yield experiments on various solid- and soluble-phase electron acceptors [smectite, Fe(III) oxyhydroxide FeOOH, Fe(III) citrate, and oxygen] in the same minimal medium. Growth was assessed as direct cell counts or as an increase in cell carbon (measured as particulate organic carbon). Cell counts showed that similar growth of S. oneidensis (10(8) cells ml(-1)) occurred with smectitic Fe(III) and on other Fe forms [amorphous Fe(III) oxyhydroxide, and Fe citrate] or oxygen as the electron acceptor. In contrast, cell yields of S. oneidensis measured as the increase in cell carbon were similar on all Fe forms tested while yields on oxygen were five times higher, in agreement with thermodynamic predictions. Over a range of particle loadings (0.5 to 4 g liter(-1)), the increase in cell number was highly correlated to the amount of structural Fe in smectite reduced. From phylogenetic analysis of the complete 16S rRNA gene sequences, a predominance of clones retrieved from the clay mineral-reducing enrichment cultures were most closely related to the low-G+C gram-positive members of the Bacteria (Clostridium and Desulfitobacterium) and the delta-Proteobacteria (members of the Geobacteraceae). Results indicate that growth with smectitic Fe(III) is similar in magnitude to that with Fe(III) oxide minerals and is dependent upon the mineral surface area available. Iron(III) bound in clay minerals should be considered an important electron acceptor supporting the growth of bacteria in soils or sedimentary environments.

Shewanella olleyana sp. nov., a marine species isolated from a temperate estuary which produces high levels of polyunsaturated fatty acids

Two polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) producing strains (ACEM 6 and ACEM 9(T)) isolated from a temperate, humic-rich river estuary in Tasmania, Australia, were found to be members of the genus Shewanella. These strains were able to utilize humic compounds (tannic acid) and derivatives (2,6-anthraquinone disulfonate) as sole carbon sources and as electron acceptors for anaerobic respiration. The major fatty acids were typical of the genus Shewanella; however, PUFAs mostly made up of eicosapentaenoic acid were produced at high levels (10.2-23.6% of total fatty acids) and at relatively high incubation temperatures (10.2% at 24 degrees C). Sequence analysis indicated that ACEM 6 and ACEM 9(T) had identical 16S rDNA sequences and were most closely related to Shewanella japonica (sequence similarity 97.1%). DNA hybridization and phenotypic characteristics confirmed that the isolates constituted a novel species of the genus Shewanella, which is designated Shewanella olleyana sp. nov. (type strain ACEM 9(T) = ACAM 644(T) = LMG 21437(T)).

Shewanella denitrificans sp. nov., a vigorously denitrifying bacterium isolated from the oxic-anoxic interface of the Gotland Deep in the central Baltic Sea

Three strains of denitrifying estuarine bacteria, OS217(T), 05220 and OS226, were characterized for their physiological and biochemical features, fatty acid profiles and their phylogenetic position based on 16S rDNA sequences. The strains were isolated from the oxic-anoxic interface of an anoxic basin of the central Baltic Sea. Phylogenetic analyses of the 16S rDNA sequences revealed a clear affiliation with members of the genus Shewanella of the gamma-Proteobacteria. The closest sequence similarity was seen with Shewanella baltica, Shewanella putrefaciens and Shewanella frigidimarina (95-96%). The dominant fatty acids were 16:1omega7c, 15:0 iso, 16:0 and 13:0 iso. The G+C content of the DNA ranged from 46.8 to 48.1 mol%. The strains were unpigmented, polarly flagellated, mesophilic, facultatively anaerobic and able to use nitrate, nitrite and sulphite as electron acceptors. Growth was observed at salinities from 0 to 6%, with an optimum between 1 and 3%. According to their morphology, physiology, fatty acid composition and 16S rRNA sequences, the described bacteria fitted well into the genus Shewanella, but could be easily distinguished from the Shewanella species described to date. Because of their capacity for vigorous denitrification, the name Shewanella denitrificans sp. nov. is suggested for the Baltic isolates, for which the type strain is OS217(T) (= DSM 15013(T) = LMG 21692(T)).

Genome sequence of the dissimilatory metal ion-reducing bacterium Shewanella oneidensis

Shewanella oneidensis is an important model organism for bioremediation studies because of its diverse respiratory capabilities, conferred in part by multicomponent, branched electron transport systems. Here we report the sequencing of the S. oneidensis genome, which consists of a 4,969,803-base pair circular chromosome with 4,758 predicted protein-encoding open reading frames (CDS) and a 161,613-base pair plasmid with 173 CDSs. We identified the first Shewanella lambda-like phage, providing a potential tool for further genome engineering. Genome analysis revealed 39 c-type cytochromes, including 32 previously unidentified in S. oneidensis, and a novel periplasmic [Fe] hydrogenase, which are integral members of the electron transport system. This genome sequence represents a critical step in the elucidation of the pathways for reduction (and bioremediation) of pollutants such as uranium (U) and chromium (Cr), and offers a starting point for defining this organism's complex electron transport systems and metal ion-reducing capabilities.

Characterization and multiple molecular forms of TorD from Shewanella massilia, the putative chaperone of the molybdoenzyme TorA

Several bacteria use trimethylamine N-oxyde (TMAO) as an exogenous electron acceptor for anaerobic respiration. This metabolic pathway involves expression of the tor operon that codes for a periplasmic molybdopterin-containing reductase of the DMSO/TMAO family, a pentahemic c-type cytochrome, and the TorD cytoplasmic chaperone, possibly required for acquisition of the molybdenum cofactor and translocation of the reductase by the twin-arginine translocation system. In this report, we show that the TorD chaperone from Shewanella massilia forms multiple and stable oligomeric species. The monomeric, dimeric, and trimeric forms were purified to homogeneity and characterized by analytical ultracentrifugation. Small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) and preliminary diffraction data indicated that the TorD dimer is made of identical protein modules of similar size to the monomeric species. Interconversion of the native oligomeric forms occurred at acidic pH value. In this condition, ANS fluorescence indicates a non-native conformation of the polypeptide chain in which, according to the circular dichroism spectra, the alpha-helical content is similar to that of the native species. Surface plasmon resonance showed that both the monomeric and dimeric species bind the mature TorA enzyme, but that the dimer binds its target protein more efficiently. The possible biologic significance of these oligomers is discussed in relation to the chaperone activity of TorD, and to the ability of another member of the TorD family to bind the Twin Arginine leader sequences of the precursor of DMSO/TMAO reductases.

Breathing metals as a way of life: geobiology in action

Many microbes have the ability to reduce transition metals, coupling this reduction to the oxidation of energy sources in a dissimilatory fashion. Because of their abundance, iron and manganese have been extensively studied, and it is well established that reduction of Mn and Fe account for significant turnover of organic carbon in many environments. In addition, many of the dissimilatory metal reducing bacteria (DMRB) also reduce other metals, including toxic metals like Cr(VI), and radioactive contaminants like U(VI), raising the expectations that these processes can be used for bioremediation. The processes involved in metal reduction remain mysterious, and often progress is slow, as nearly all iron and manganese oxides are solids, which offer particular challenges with regard to imaging and chemical measurements. In particular, the interactions that occur at the bacteria-mineral interfaces are not yet clearly elucidated. One DMRB, Shewanella oneidensis MR-I offers the advantage that its genome has recently been sequenced, and with the availability of its genomic sequence, several aspects of its metal reducing abilities are now beginning to be seen. As these studies progress, it should be possible to separate several processes involved with metal reduction, including surface recognition, attachment, metal destabilization and reduction, and secondary mineral formation.

Microarray transcription profiling of a Shewanella oneidensis etrA mutant

DNA microarrays were used to examine the effect of an insertional mutation in the Shewanella oneidensis etrA (electron transport regulator) locus on gene expression under anaerobic conditions. The mRNA levels of 69 genes with documented functions in energy and carbon metabolism, regulation, transport, and other cellular processes displayed significant alterations in transcript abundance in an etrA-mutant genetic background. This is the first microarray study indicating a possible involvement of EtrA in the regulation of gene expression in S. oneidensis MR-1.

Evidence for rapid microscale bacterial redox cycling of iron in circumneutral environments

The potential for microscale bacterial Fe redox cycling was investigated in microcosms containing ferrihydrite-coated sand and a coculture of a lithotrophic Fe(II)-oxidizing bacterium (strain TW2) and a dissimilatory Fe(III)-reducing bacterium (Shewanella alga strain BrY). The Fe(II)-oxidizing organism was isolated from freshwater wetland surface sediments which are characterized by steep gradients of dissolved 02 and high concentrations of dissolved and solid-phase Fe(II) within mm of the sediment-water interface, and which support comparable numbers (10(5)-10(6) mL(-1)) of culturable Fe(II)-oxidizing and Fe(III)-reducing reducing. The coculture systems showed minimal Fe(III) oxide accumulation at the sand-water interface, despite intensive O2 input from the atmosphere and measurable dissolved O2 to a depth of 2 mm below the sand-water interface. In contrast, a distinct layer of oxide precipitates formed in systems containing Fe(IllI)-reducing bacteria alone. Examination of materials from the cocultures by fluorescence in situ hybridization indicated close physical juxtapositioning of Fe(II)-oxidizing and Fe(III)-reducing bacteria in the upper few mm of sand. Our results indicate that Fe(II)-oxidizing bacteria have the potential to enhance the coupling of Fe(II) oxidation and Fe(III) reduction at redox interfaces, thereby promoting rapid microscale cycling of Fe.

Gene and protein expression profiles of Shewanella oneidensis during anaerobic growth with different electron acceptors

Changes in mRNA and protein expression profiles of Shewanella oneidenesis MR-1 during switch from aerobic to fumarate-, Fe(III)-, or nitrate-reducing conditions were examined using DNA microarrays and two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (2-D PAGE). In response to changes in growth conditions, 121 of the 691 arrayed genes displayed at least a two-fold difference in transcript abundance as determined by microarray analysis. Genes involved in aerobic respiration encoding cytochrome c and d oxidases and TCA cycle enzymes were repressed under anaerobic conditions. Genes induced during anaerobic respiration included those involved in cofactor biosynthesis and assembly (moaACE, ccmHF, nosD, cysG), substrate transport (cysUP, cysTWA, dcuB), and anaerobic energy metabolism (dmsAB, psrC, pshA, hyaABC, hydA). Transcription of genes encoding a periplasmic nitrate reductase (napBHGA), cytochrome c552, and prismane was elevated 8- to 56-fold in response to the presence of nitrate, while cymA, ifcA, and frdA were specifically induced three- to eightfold under fumarate-reducing conditions. The mRNA levels for two oxidoreductase-like genes of unknown function and several cell envelope genes involved in multidrug resistance increased two- to fivefold specifically under Fe(III)-reducing conditions. Analysis of protein expression profiles under aerobic and anaerobic conditions revealed 14 protein spots that showed significant differences in abundance on 2-D gels. Protein identification by mass spectrometry indicated that the expression of prismane, dihydrolipoamide succinyltransferase, and alcaligin siderophore biosynthesis protein correlated with the microarray data.

Electron energy loss spectroscopy techniques for the study of microbial chromium(VI) reduction

Electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) techniques were used to determine oxidation state, at high spatial resolution, of chromium associated with the metal-reducing bacteria, Shewanella oneidensis, in anaerobic cultures containing Cr(VI)O4(2-). These techniques were applied to fixed cells examined in thin section by conventional transmission electron microscopy (TEM) as well as unfixed, hydrated bacteria examined by environmental cell (EC)-TEM. Two distinct populations of bacteria were observed by TEM: bacteria exhibiting low image contrast and bacteria exhibiting high contrast in their cell membrane (or boundary) structure which was often encrusted with high-contrast precipitates. Measurements by EELS demonstrated that cell boundaries became saturated with low concentrations of Cr and the precipitates encrusting bacterial cells contained a reduced form of Cr in oxidation state + 3 or lower.

Melanin production and use as a soluble electron shuttle for Fe(III) oxide reduction and as a terminal electron acceptor by Shewanella algae BrY

Dissimilatory metal-reducing bacteria (DMRB) utilize numerous compounds as terminal electron acceptors, including insoluble iron oxides. The mechanism(s) of insoluble-mineral reduction by DMRB is not well understood. Here we report that extracellular melanin is produced by Shewanella algae BrY. The extracted melanin served as the sole terminal electron acceptor. Upon reduction the reduced, soluble melanin reduced insoluble hydrous ferric oxide in the absence of bacteria, thus demonstrating that melanin produced by S. algae BrY is a soluble Fe(III)-reducing compound. In the presence of bacteria, melanin acted as an electron conduit to Fe(III) minerals and increased Fe(III) mineral reduction rates. Growth of S. algae BrY occurred in anaerobic minimal medium supplemented with melanin extracted from previously grown aerobic cultures of S. algae BrY. Melanin produced by S. algae BrY imparts increased versatility to this organism as a soluble Fe(III) reductant, an electron conduit for iron mineral reduction, and a sole terminal electron acceptor that supports growth.

Transcriptional regulation under pressure conditions by RNA polymerase sigma54 factor with a two-component regulatory system in Shewanella violacea

Deep-sea bacteria have unique systems for gene and protein expression controlled by hydrostatic pressure. One of the sigma factors, sigma54, was found to play an important role in pressure-regulated transcription in a deep-sea piezophilic bacterium, Shewanella violacea. A glutamine synthetase gene (glnA) has been targeted as a model for the pressure-regulated promoter to investigate transcriptional regulation by the sigma54 factor. Recognition sites for sigma54 and sigma70 factors were observed at an upstream region of the glnA, and NtrC-binding sites were also identified at the same region. Primer extension analyses revealed that the transcription initiation sites of both promoters were determined and that transcription from the sigma54 site was regulated by elevated pressure. The sigma54 promoter is known to be activated by a two-component signal transduction system, the NtrB-NtrC phosphorylation relay. Our results suggested that this system might be regulated by deep-sea conditions and that the gene expression controlled by the sigma54 promoter was actually regulated by pressure. We propose a possible model of the molecular mechanisms for pressure-regulated transcription.

Microbial iron respiration can protect steel from corrosion

Microbiologically influenced corrosion (MC) of steel has been attributed to the activity of biofilms that include anaerobic microorganisms such as iron-respiring bacteria, yet the mechanisms by which these organisms influence corrosion have been unclear. To study this process, we generated mutants of the iron-respiring bacterium Shewanella oneidensis strain MR-1 that were defective in biofilm formation and/or iron reduction. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy was used to determine changes in the corrosion rate and corrosion potential as a function of time for these mutants in comparison to the wild type. Counter to prevailing theories of MC, our results indicate that biofilms comprising iron-respiring bacteria may reduce rather than accelerate the corrosion rate of steel. Corrosion inhibition appears to be due to reduction of ferric ions to ferrous ions and increased consumption of oxygen, both of which are direct consequences of microbial respiration.

Protective role of tolC in efflux of the electron shuttle anthraquinone-2,6-disulfonate

Extracellular electron transfer can play an important role in microbial respiration on insoluble minerals. The humic acid analog anthraquinone-2,6-disulfonate (AQDS) is commonly used as an electron shuttle during studies of extracellular electron transfer. Here we provide genetic evidence that AQDS enters Shewanella oneidensis strain MR-1 and causes cell death if it accumulates past a critical concentration. A tolC homolog protects the cell from toxicity by mediating the efflux of AQDS. Electron transfer to AQDS appears to be independent of the tolC pathway, however, and requires the outer membrane protein encoded by mtrB. We suggest that there may be structural and functional relationships between quinone-containing electron shuttles and antibiotics.

Chromate reduction in Shewanella oneidensis MR-1 is an inducible process associated with anaerobic growth

Cr(VI) reduction was observed during tests with Shewanella oneidensis MR-1 (previously named S. putrefaciens MR-1) while being grown with nitrate or fumarate as electron acceptor and lactate as electron donor. From the onset of anoxic growth on fumarate, we measured a gradual and progressive increase in the specific Cr(VI) reduction rate with incubation time until a maximum was reached at late exponential/early stationary phase. Under denitrifying conditions, the specific Cr(VI) reduction rate was inhibited by nitrite, which is produced during nitrate reduction. However, once nitrite was consumed, the specific reduction rate increased until a maximum was reached, again during the late exponential/early stationary phase. Thus, under both fumarate- and nitrate-reducing conditions, an increase in the specific Cr(VI) reduction rate was observed as the microorganisms transition from oxic to anoxic growth conditions, presumably as a result of induction of enzyme systems capable of reducing Cr(VI). Although Cr(VI) reduction has been studied in MR-1 and in other facultative bacteria under both oxic and anoxic conditions, a transition in specific reduction rates based on physiological conditions during growth is a novel finding. Such physiological responses provide information required for optimizing the operation of in situ systems for remediating groundwater contaminated with heavy metals and radionuclides, especially those that are characterized by temporal variations in oxygen content. Moreover, such information may point the way to a better understanding of the cellular processes used by soil bacteria to accomplish Cr(VI) reduction.

Transcriptional and proteomic analysis of a ferric uptake regulator (fur) mutant of Shewanella oneidensis: possible involvement of fur in energy metabolism, transcriptional regulation, and oxidative stress

The iron-directed, coordinate regulation of genes depends on the fur (ferric uptake regulator) gene product, which acts as an iron-responsive, transcriptional repressor protein. To investigate the biological function of a fur homolog in the dissimilatory metal-reducing bacterium Shewanella oneidensis MR-1, a fur knockout strain (FUR1) was generated by suicide plasmid integration into this gene and characterized using phenotype assays, DNA microarrays containing 691 arrayed genes, and two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Physiological studies indicated that FUR1 was similar to the wild-type strain when they were compared for anaerobic growth and reduction of various electron acceptors. Transcription profiling, however, revealed that genes with predicted functions in electron transport, energy metabolism, transcriptional regulation, and oxidative stress protection were either repressed (ccoNQ, etrA, cytochrome b and c maturation-encoding genes, qor, yiaY, sodB, rpoH, phoB, and chvI) or induced (yggW, pdhC, prpC, aceE, fdhD, and ppc) in the fur mutant. Disruption of fur also resulted in derepression of genes (hxuC, alcC, fhuA, hemR, irgA, and ompW) putatively involved in iron uptake. This agreed with the finding that the fur mutant produced threefold-higher levels of siderophore than the wild-type strain under conditions of sufficient iron. Analysis of a subset of the FUR1 proteome (i.e., primarily soluble cytoplasmic and periplasmic proteins) indicated that 11 major protein species reproducibly showed significant (P < 0.05) differences in abundance relative to the wild type. Protein identification using mass spectrometry indicated that the expression of two of these proteins (SodB and AlcC) correlated with the microarray data. These results suggest a possible regulatory role of S. oneidensis MR-1 Fur in energy metabolism that extends the traditional model of Fur as a negative regulator of iron acquisition systems.

Measurement of iron(III) bioavailability in pure iron oxide minerals and soils using anthraquinone-2,6-disulfonate oxidation

The quinol form (AHDS) of 9,10-anthraquinone-2,6-disulfonate (AQDS) was used as a titrant to determine bioavailability of Fe(III) in pure iron minerals and several soils. AHDS oxidation to AQDS was coupled to Fe(III) reduction to Fe(ll) in biological media consisting of trace salts and vitamins, providing estimates of bioavailability consistentwith the biogeochemical mechanisms and conditions that control Fe(III) availability to iron-reducing bacteria. Iron(III) oxide sources were synthetic oxides (amorphous and crystalline) and three soils separated into two size fractions each (0-500 and 500-1000 microm). This titration gave a measurement of the amount of Fe(III) available to dissimilatory iron-reducing bacteria and was compared to hydroxylamine reduction, oxalate extraction, and biological reduction by Shewanella alga BrY. The advantage of AHDS titration over existing chemical techniques is that it can be performed at normal soil pH and ionic strength, and it allows for distinction of iron(III) oxides rendered unavailable by sorption of Fe(II) or by other pH-dependent geochemical processes. This approach also allows distinction of Fe(III) present in micropores that is not directly available to bacteria but bioavailable in the presence of an electron shuttle capable of transporting electrons into the micropores.

Influence of acetate and CO2 on the TMAO-reduction reaction by Shewanella baltica

In this work, the TMAO-reduction by Shewanella baltica, one of the representative spoilage organisms in modified atmosphere packaged marine fish fillets, and the effect of acetate and CO2 on this reduction were studied in vitro. The growth of S. baltica and the corresponding evolution of some compounds (acetate, lactate, pyruvate, glucose and trimethylamine (TMA)) were followed during storage at 4 degrees C in two types of broths. The first medium was a defined medium (pH = 6.8) to which lactate or pyruvate was added as hydrogen donor. Pyruvate showed to be more efficient as H-donor for S. baltica than lactate, as growth was much faster when equimolar amounts of pyruvate instead of lactate were present. Although the growth of S. baltica, when pyruvate is used as H-donor and no acetate is added, was not much inhibited by the CO2-atmosphere, CO2 had a pronounced effect on the studied reactions as it partly inhibited the reduction of pyruvate to acetate. The effect of acetate on this reaction was, on the other hand, not significant. To simulate the reactions occurring in situ, a buffered fish extract (pH = 6.8) was used. In spite of the neutral pH, the growth of S. baltica in this medium was highly inhibited by relatively small concentrations of acetate (< 0.3%). When 0.1% of acetate was added to the fish extract, less acetate was formed and lactate was more slowly consumed in comparison to the experiments without the addition of acetate. The consumption of lactate and the production of acetate were almost completely inhibited when the fish extract contained 0.25% of acetate. Apparently, the addition of acetate inhibited the use of lactate as H-donor. After extended storage times (17 days at 4 degrees C) TMA production started. Most probably, alternative H-donors were used by S. baltica, from which the pathway seems to be less energy efficient. This can be deduced from the exceptional growth inhibition of S. baltica by small amounts of acetate. However, when practical storage times for fish (e.g. 6 days at 4 degrees C after packaging) are considered, growth and TMAO-reduction by S. baltica was completely inhibited during this period by 0.25% of acetate.