1
|
Pérgola M, Sacco NJ, Bonetto MC, Galagovsky L, Cortón E. A laboratory experiment for science courses: Sedimentary microbial fuel cells. BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY EDUCATION : A BIMONTHLY PUBLICATION OF THE INTERNATIONAL UNION OF BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2023; 51:221-229. [PMID: 36495269 DOI: 10.1002/bmb.21702] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2021] [Revised: 09/13/2022] [Accepted: 11/15/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Nowadays there is a concern to improve the quality of education by including an interdisciplinary approach of concepts and their integration in the curriculum of scientific disciplines. The development of microbial fuel cells as a potential alternative for production of renewable energies gives undergraduate students the challenge of integrating interdisciplinary concepts in a hot topic of global interest as alternative energies. We present a laboratory experiment that has been part of a third-year undergraduate course in biology where students gained experience in assembling microbial fuel cells and the understanding of how they work. In this process, the students could integrate biological, biochemical, and electric concepts. In addition, the acquisition of manual skills and experimental design decisions are important for the development of future professionals.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Martín Pérgola
- Laboratory of Biosensors and Bioanalysis (LABB), Departamento de Química Biológica e IQUIBICEN-CONICET, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Pabellón 2, Ciudad Universitaria, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Centro de Formación e Investigación en Enseñanza de las Ciencias. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Pabellón 2, Ciudad Universitaria, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Natalia J Sacco
- Laboratory of Biosensors and Bioanalysis (LABB), Departamento de Química Biológica e IQUIBICEN-CONICET, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Pabellón 2, Ciudad Universitaria, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - M Celina Bonetto
- Universidad de Buenos Aires, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Instituto de Química y Fisicoquímica Biológica (IQUIFIB), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Lydia Galagovsky
- Centro de Formación e Investigación en Enseñanza de las Ciencias. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Pabellón 2, Ciudad Universitaria, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Eduardo Cortón
- Laboratory of Biosensors and Bioanalysis (LABB), Departamento de Química Biológica e IQUIBICEN-CONICET, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Pabellón 2, Ciudad Universitaria, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Guo Y, Aoyagi T, Hori T. Comparative insights into genome signatures of ferric iron oxide- and anode-stimulated Desulfuromonas spp. strains. BMC Genomics 2021; 22:475. [PMID: 34171987 PMCID: PMC8235581 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-021-07809-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2021] [Accepted: 06/15/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Halotolerant Fe (III) oxide reducers affiliated in the family Desulfuromonadaceae are ubiquitous and drive the carbon, nitrogen, sulfur and metal cycles in marine subsurface sediment. Due to their possible application in bioremediation and bioelectrochemical engineering, some of phylogenetically close Desulfuromonas spp. strains have been isolated through enrichment with crystalline Fe (III) oxide and anode. The strains isolated using electron acceptors with distinct redox potentials may have different abilities, for instance, of extracellular electron transport, surface recognition and colonization. The objective of this study was to identify the different genomic signatures between the crystalline Fe (III) oxide-stimulated strain AOP6 and the anode-stimulated strains WTL and DDH964 by comparative genome analysis. RESULTS The AOP6 genome possessed the flagellar biosynthesis gene cluster, as well as diverse and abundant genes involved in chemotaxis sensory systems and c-type cytochromes capable of reduction of electron acceptors with low redox potentials. The WTL and DDH964 genomes lacked the flagellar biosynthesis cluster and exhibited a massive expansion of transposable gene elements that might mediate genome rearrangement, while they were deficient in some of the chemotaxis and cytochrome genes and included the genes for oxygen resistance. CONCLUSIONS Our results revealed the genomic signatures distinctive for the ferric iron oxide- and anode-stimulated Desulfuromonas spp. strains. These findings highlighted the different metabolic abilities, such as extracellular electron transfer and environmental stress resistance, of these phylogenetically close bacterial strains, casting light on genome evolution of the subsurface Fe (III) oxide reducers.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yong Guo
- Environmental Management Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), 16-1 Onogawa, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8569, Japan
| | - Tomo Aoyagi
- Environmental Management Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), 16-1 Onogawa, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8569, Japan
| | - Tomoyuki Hori
- Environmental Management Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), 16-1 Onogawa, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8569, Japan.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Tutar S, Mohamed A, Ha PT, Beyenal H. Electron donor availability controls scale up of anodic biofilms. Bioelectrochemistry 2019; 132:107403. [PMID: 31838458 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioelechem.2019.107403] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2019] [Revised: 10/03/2019] [Accepted: 10/03/2019] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
The scale up of bioelectrochemical systems (BESs) is a challenging problem that limits the advancement and practical implementation of the technology. The goal of this work is to acquire an understanding of the limitations on scaling up anodic biofilms in BESs. We hypothesized that scaling up is dependent on the availability of electron donors. We tested this hypothesis by enriching anodic biofilms on electrodes of multiple sizes (15 cm2 to 466 cm2) and quantified the anodic current densities while varying the electron donor concentrations. The anodic biofilms were enriched on electrodes under two conditions: (1) in raw wastewater and (2) in wastewater supplemented with 20 mM acetate. Following anodic biofilm enrichment, the current density for each electrode was quantified in artificial wastewater medium with variable COD loadings using acetate as an electron donor. Current generated using anodic biofilms scaled up at a high COD loading (1500 mg/L), while current density decreased with increasing electrode size at lower COD loadings. Further, microbial community analysis revealed that the microbial community was independent of the electrode size but dependent on the medium composition during the enrichment phase. These results provide a practical framework for the design of large-scale BESs based on laboratory-scale measurements.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Secil Tutar
- The Gene and Linda Voiland, School of Chemical Engineering and Bioengineering, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, United States
| | - Abdelrhman Mohamed
- The Gene and Linda Voiland, School of Chemical Engineering and Bioengineering, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, United States
| | - Phuc T Ha
- The Gene and Linda Voiland, School of Chemical Engineering and Bioengineering, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, United States
| | - Haluk Beyenal
- The Gene and Linda Voiland, School of Chemical Engineering and Bioengineering, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, United States.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Paquete CM, Rusconi G, Silva AV, Soares R, Louro RO. A brief survey of the "cytochromome". Adv Microb Physiol 2019; 75:69-135. [PMID: 31655743 DOI: 10.1016/bs.ampbs.2019.07.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
Multihaem cytochromes c are widespread in nature where they perform numerous roles in diverse anaerobic metabolic pathways. This is achieved in two ways: multihaem cytochromes c display a remarkable diversity of ways to organize multiple hemes within the protein frame; and the hemes possess an intrinsic reactive versatility derived from diverse spin, redox and coordination states. Here we provide a brief survey of multihaem cytochromes c that have been characterized in the context of their metabolic role. The contribution of multihaem cytochromes c to dissimilatory pathways handling metallic minerals, nitrogen compounds, sulfur compounds, organic compounds and phototrophism are described. This aims to set the stage for the further exploration of the vast unknown "cytochromome" that can be anticipated from genomic databases.
Collapse
|
5
|
Lebègue E, Louro RO, Barrière F. Electrochemical Detection of pH-Responsive Grafted Catechol and Immobilized Cytochrome c onto Lipid Deposit-Modified Glassy Carbon Surface. ACS OMEGA 2018; 3:9035-9042. [PMID: 31459037 PMCID: PMC6644398 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.8b01425] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2018] [Accepted: 07/31/2018] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
The electrochemical systems of both grafted catechol as a pH-responsive electrophore and immobilized cytochrome c as a model redox protein are detected by cyclic voltammetry at an optimized lipid deposit-modified glassy carbon electrode. The catechol covalent grafting is successfully performed by the one-pot/three-step electrochemical reduction of 3,4-dihydroxybenzenediazonium salts generated in situ from 4-nitrocatechol. The resulting glassy carbon electrode electrochemically modified by grafted catechol species is evaluated as an efficient electrochemical pH sensor. The optimized molar ratio for the lipid deposit, promoting cytochrome c electrochemical activity in solution onto glassy carbon electrode, is reached for the lipid mixture composed of 75% 1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine and 25% cardiolipin. Cytochrome c immobilization into the optimized supported lipid deposit is efficiently achieved by cyclic voltammetry (10 cycles) recorded at the modified glassy carbon electrode in a cytochrome c solution. The pH-dependent redox response of the grafted catechol and that of the immobilized cytochrome c are finally detected at the same lipid-modified glassy carbon electrode without alteration of their structure and electrochemical properties in the pH range 5-9.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Estelle Lebègue
- Univ Rennes, CNRS,
Institut des Sciences Chimiques de Rennes—UMR 6226, F-35000 Rennes, France
| | - Ricardo O. Louro
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química
e Biológica, António Xavier, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, 2780-157 Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Frédéric Barrière
- Univ Rennes, CNRS,
Institut des Sciences Chimiques de Rennes—UMR 6226, F-35000 Rennes, France
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Wang Y, Zhang B, Zhang X, Wang X, Cheng J, Chen B. Detection and Identification of Hematologic Malignancies and Solid Tumors by an Electrochemical Technique. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0153821. [PMID: 27115355 PMCID: PMC4845976 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0153821] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2015] [Accepted: 04/04/2016] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Purpose Develop and evaluate an electrochemical method to identify healthy individuals, malignant hematopathic patients and solid tumor patients by detecting the leukocytes in whole-blood. Methods A total of 114 individual blood samples obtained from our affiliated hospital in China (June 2015- August 2015) were divided into three groups: healthy individuals (n = 35), hematologic malignancies (n = 41) and solid tumors (n = 38). An electrochemical workstation system was used to measure differential pulse voltammetry due to the different electrochemical behaviors of leukocytes in blood samples. Then, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was applied to analyze the scanning curves and to compare the peak potential and peak current. Results The scanning curve demonstrated the specific electrochemical behaviors of the blank potassium ferricyanide solution and that mixed with blood samples in different groups. Significant differences in mean peak potentials of mixture and shifts (ΔEp (mV)) were observed of the three groups (P< = 0.001). 106.00±9.00 and 3.14±7.48 for Group healthy individuals, 120.90±11.18 and 18.10±8.81 for Group hematologic malignancies, 136.84±11.53 and 32.89±10.50 for Group solid tumors, respectively. In contrast, there were no significant differences in the peak currents and shifts. Conclusions The newly developed method to apply the electrochemical workstation system to identify hematologic malignancies and solid tumors with good sensitivity and specificity might be effective, suggesting a potential utility in clinical application.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yujie Wang
- Department of hematology and oncology (key Discipline of Jiangshu Province), Zhongda Hospital, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nangjing, Jiangsu Province, People’s Republic of China
| | - Bowen Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics (Chien-Shiung Wu Laboratory), Southeast University, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, People’s Republic of China
| | - Xiaoping Zhang
- Department of hematology and oncology (key Discipline of Jiangshu Province), Zhongda Hospital, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nangjing, Jiangsu Province, People’s Republic of China
| | - Xuemei Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics (Chien-Shiung Wu Laboratory), Southeast University, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, People’s Republic of China
| | - Jian Cheng
- Department of hematology and oncology (key Discipline of Jiangshu Province), Zhongda Hospital, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nangjing, Jiangsu Province, People’s Republic of China
| | - Baoan Chen
- Department of hematology and oncology (key Discipline of Jiangshu Province), Zhongda Hospital, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nangjing, Jiangsu Province, People’s Republic of China
- * E-mail: ;
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Vibrational Spectroscopic Techniques for Probing Bioelectrochemical Systems. ADVANCES IN BIOCHEMICAL ENGINEERING/BIOTECHNOLOGY 2016; 158:75-110. [DOI: 10.1007/10_2016_3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
|