PNNL

Abstract

The mineral respiring bacterium Shewanella oneidensis uses a protein complex, MtrCAB, composed of two decaheme cytochromes brought together inside a transmembrane porin to transport electrons across the outer membrane to a variety of mineral-based electron acceptors. A proteoliposome system that contains methyl viologen as an internalised electron carrier has been used to investigate how the topology of the MtrCAB complex relates to its ability to transport electrons across a lipid bilayer to externally-located Fe(III) oxides. With MtrA facing the interior and MtrC exposed on the outer surface of the phospholipid bilayer, direct electron transfer from the interior through MtrCAB to solid-phase Fe(III) oxides was demonstrated. The observed rates of conduction through the protein complex were 2 to 3 orders of magnitude higher than that observed in whole cells, demonstrating that direct electron exchange between MtrCAB and Fe(III) oxides is efficient enough to support in-vivo, anaerobic, solid phase iron respiration.