Geopsychrobacter electrodiphilus'

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Classification

Bacteria; Thermodesulfobacteria; Desulfuromonadia; Disulfuromonadales; Geopsychrobacteraceae

Description and Significance

Name Geo "from surface", psychro "psychrotolerant", bacter "rod-shaped", electrodi "found on electrode", philus "loving" Found in the Boston Harbor, Massachusetts on an electrode of a sediment feul cell about 5 meters deep. Psychrotolerant because they are found in temperatures between 4 degrees and 30 degrees celsius. This species is especially interesting because they can transfer electrons from oxidizing organic compounds. They are rod shaped, gram negative, and nonmotile.

Genome Structure

The genome consists of one chromosome. They found that the 16S rRNA most similar to Malonomonas Rubra. When comparing sequences between recA, gyrB, fusA, rpoB, and nifD genes from known Geobacteraceae it was discovered that the recA, gyrB, and nifD genes from strains A1 and A2 are most similar to those of Desulfuromonas palmitatis, while the fusA and rpoB genes are most similar to those of Desulfuromusa succinoxidans. Their studies indicated that 65% of the 16S rRNA sequences associated with the current-harvesting electrodes in marine sediment fuel cellsare 90 to 97% similar to the 16S rRNA sequences of G. electrodiphilus.

Cell Structure, Metabolism and Life Cycle

Interesting features of cell structure; how it gains energy; what important molecules it produces.

Abundance of type C cytochromes.

"able to couple the complete oxidation of acetate to CO2with the reduction of poorly crystalline Fe(III) oxide at temperatures as low as 4°C.The stoichiometry of acetate utilization and Fe(III) reduction indicated that poorly crystalline Fe(III) oxide served as the sole electron acceptor during growth"

Ecology and Pathogenesis

Habitat; symbiosis; biogeochemical significance; contributions to environment.

If relevant, how does this organism cause disease? Human, animal, plant hosts? Virulence factors, as well as patient symptoms.

Temperature: between 4 degrees and 30 degrees celsius. Grows on the surface of the graphite electrode, used as the electron acceptor.

References

Schoch CL, et al. NCBI Taxonomy: a comprehensive update on curation, resources and tools. Database (Oxford). 2020: baaa062. PubMed: 32761142 PMC: PMC7408187.

Holmes DE, Nicoll JS, Bond DR, Lovley DR (October 2004). "Potential role of a novel psychrotolerant member of the family Geobacteraceae, Geopsychrobacter electrodiphilus gen. nov., sp. nov., in electricity production by a marine sediment fuel cell". Applied and Environmental Microbiology. 70 (10): 6023–30. Bibcode:2004ApEnM..70.6023H. doi:10.1128/AEM.70.10.6023-6030.2004. PMC 522133. PMID 15466546.

Ow YP, Green DR, Hao Z, Mak TW. Cytochrome c: functions beyond respiration. Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol. 2008 Jul;9(7):532-42. doi: 10.1038/nrm2434. PMID: 18568041.

Author

Page authored by Michele Renard, student of Prof. Bradley Tolar at UNC Wilmington.