@article {3057, title = {Generation of High Current Densities in Geobacter sulfurreducens Lacking the Putative Gene for the PilB Pilus Assembly Motor.}, journal = {Microbiol Spectr}, volume = {9}, year = {2021}, month = {2021 Oct 31}, pages = {e0087721}, abstract = {

Geobacter sulfurreducens is commonly employed as a model for the study of extracellular electron transport mechanisms in the species. Deletion of , which is known to encode the pilus assembly motor protein for type IV pili in other bacteria, has been proposed as an effective strategy for evaluating the role of electrically conductive pili (e-pili) in G. sulfurreducens extracellular electron transfer. In those studies, the inhibition of e-pili expression associated with deletion was not demonstrated directly but was inferred from the observation that deletion mutants produced lower current densities than wild-type cells. Here, we report that deleting did not diminish current production. Conducting probe atomic force microscopy revealed filaments with the same diameter and similar current-voltage response as e-pili harvested from wild-type G. sulfurreducens or when e-pili are expressed heterologously from the G. sulfurreducens pilin gene in Escherichia coli. Immunogold labeling demonstrated that a G. sulfurreducens strain expressing a pilin monomer with a His tag continued to express His tag-labeled filaments when was deleted. These results suggest that a reinterpretation of the results of previous studies on G. sulfurreducens deletion strains may be necessary. Geobacter sulfurreducens is a model microbe for the study of biogeochemically and technologically significant processes, such as the reduction of Fe(III) oxides in soils and sediments, bioelectrochemical applications that produce electric current from waste organic matter or drive useful processes with the consumption of renewable electricity, direct interspecies electron transfer in anaerobic digestors and methanogenic soils and sediments, and metal corrosion. Elucidating the phenotypes associated with gene deletions is an important strategy for determining the mechanisms for extracellular electron transfer in G. sulfurreducens. The results reported here demonstrate that we cannot replicate the key phenotype reported for a gene deletion that has been central to the development of models for long-range electron transport in G. sulfurreducens.

}, keywords = {Bacterial Proteins, Electric Conductivity, Electron Transport, Fimbriae Proteins, Fimbriae, Bacterial, Gene Deletion, Geobacter, Geologic Sediments, Microscopy, Atomic Force, Oxidoreductases}, issn = {2165-0497}, doi = {10.1128/Spectrum.00877-21}, author = {Ueki, Toshiyuki and Walker, David J F and Nevin, Kelly P and Ward, Joy E and Woodard, Trevor L and Nonnenmann, Stephen S and Lovley, Derek R} } @article {3126, title = {Going wireless: Fe(III) oxide reduction without pili by Geobacter sulfurreducens strain JS-1.}, journal = {Appl Environ Microbiol}, volume = {80}, year = {2014}, month = {2014 Jul}, pages = {4331-40}, abstract = {

Previous studies have suggested that the conductive pili of Geobacter sulfurreducens are essential for extracellular electron transfer to Fe(III) oxides and for optimal long-range electron transport through current-producing biofilms. The KN400 strain of G. sulfurreducens reduces poorly crystalline Fe(III) oxide more rapidly than the more extensively studied DL-1 strain. Deletion of the gene encoding PilA, the structural pilin protein, in strain KN400 inhibited Fe(III) oxide reduction. However, low rates of Fe(III) reduction were detected after extended incubation (>30 days) in the presence of Fe(III) oxide. After seven consecutive transfers, the PilA-deficient strain adapted to reduce Fe(III) oxide as fast as the wild type. Microarray, whole-genome resequencing, proteomic, and gene deletion studies indicated that this adaptation was associated with the production of larger amounts of the c-type cytochrome PgcA, which was released into the culture medium. It is proposed that the extracellular cytochrome acts as an electron shuttle, promoting electron transfer from the outer cell surface to Fe(III) oxides. The adapted PilA-deficient strain competed well with the wild-type strain when both were grown together on Fe(III) oxide. However, when 50\% of the culture medium was replaced with fresh medium every 3 days, the wild-type strain outcompeted the adapted strain. A possible explanation for this is that the necessity to produce additional PgcA, to replace the PgcA being continually removed, put the adapted strain at a competitive disadvantage, similar to the apparent selection against electron shuttle-producing Fe(III) reducers in many anaerobic soils and sediments. Despite increased extracellular cytochrome production, the adapted PilA-deficient strain produced low levels of current, consistent with the concept that long-range electron transport through G. sulfurreducens biofilms is more effective via pili.

}, keywords = {Adaptation, Physiological, Biofilms, DNA, Bacterial, Electron Transport, Ferric Compounds, Fimbriae Proteins, Fimbriae, Bacterial, Gene Deletion, Geobacter, Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis, Proteomics, Sequence Analysis, DNA}, issn = {1098-5336}, doi = {10.1128/AEM.01122-14}, author = {Smith, Jessica A and Tremblay, Pier-Luc and Shrestha, Pravin Malla and Snoeyenbos-West, Oona L and Franks, Ashley E and Nevin, Kelly P and Lovley, Derek R} } @article {3136, title = {Anaerobic benzene oxidation via phenol in Geobacter metallireducens.}, journal = {Appl Environ Microbiol}, volume = {79}, year = {2013}, month = {2013 Dec}, pages = {7800-6}, abstract = {

Anaerobic activation of benzene is expected to represent a novel biochemistry of environmental significance. Therefore, benzene metabolism was investigated in Geobacter metallireducens, the only genetically tractable organism known to anaerobically degrade benzene. Trace amounts (<0.5 μM) of phenol accumulated in cultures of Geobacter metallireducens anaerobically oxidizing benzene to carbon dioxide with the reduction of Fe(III). Phenol was not detected in cell-free controls or in Fe(II)- and benzene-containing cultures of Geobacter sulfurreducens, a Geobacter species that cannot metabolize benzene. The phenol produced in G. metallireducens cultures was labeled with (18)O during growth in H2(18)O, as expected for anaerobic conversion of benzene to phenol. Analysis of whole-genome gene expression patterns indicated that genes for phenol metabolism were upregulated during growth on benzene but that genes for benzoate or toluene metabolism were not, further suggesting that phenol was an intermediate in benzene metabolism. Deletion of the genes for PpsA or PpcB, subunits of two enzymes specifically required for the metabolism of phenol, removed the capacity for benzene metabolism. These results demonstrate that benzene hydroxylation to phenol is an alternative to carboxylation for anaerobic benzene activation and suggest that this may be an important metabolic route for benzene removal in petroleum-contaminated groundwaters, in which Geobacter species are considered to play an important role in anaerobic benzene degradation.

}, keywords = {Anaerobiosis, Benzene, Carbon Dioxide, Gene Deletion, Gene Expression Profiling, Geobacter, Iron, Metabolic Networks and Pathways, Oxidation-Reduction, Phenol, Water}, issn = {1098-5336}, doi = {10.1128/AEM.03134-13}, author = {Zhang, Tian and Tremblay, Pier-Luc and Chaurasia, Akhilesh Kumar and Smith, Jessica A and Bain, Timothy S and Lovley, Derek R} } @article {3150, title = {A genetic system for Clostridium ljungdahlii: a chassis for autotrophic production of biocommodities and a model homoacetogen.}, journal = {Appl Environ Microbiol}, volume = {79}, year = {2013}, month = {2013 Feb}, pages = {1102-9}, abstract = {

Methods for genetic manipulation of Clostridium ljungdahlii are of interest because of the potential for production of fuels and other biocommodities from carbon dioxide via microbial electrosynthesis or more traditional modes of autotrophy with hydrogen or carbon monoxide as the electron donor. Furthermore, acetogenesis plays an important role in the global carbon cycle. Gene deletion strategies required for physiological studies of C. ljungdahlii have not previously been demonstrated. An electroporation procedure for introducing plasmids was optimized, and four different replicative origins for plasmid propagation in C. ljungdahlii were identified. Chromosomal gene deletion via double-crossover homologous recombination with a suicide vector was demonstrated initially with deletion of the gene for FliA, a putative sigma factor involved in flagellar biogenesis and motility in C. ljungdahlii. Deletion of fliA yielded a strain that lacked flagella and was not motile. To evaluate the potential utility of gene deletions for functional genomic studies and to redirect carbon and electron flow, the genes for the putative bifunctional aldehyde/alcohol dehydrogenases, adhE1 and adhE2, were deleted individually or together. Deletion of adhE1, but not adhE2, diminished ethanol production with a corresponding carbon recovery in acetate. The double deletion mutant had a phenotype similar to that of the adhE1-deficient strain. Expression of adhE1 in trans partially restored the capacity for ethanol production. These results demonstrate the feasibility of genetic investigations of acetogen physiology and the potential for genetic manipulation of C. ljungdahlii to optimize autotrophic biocommodity production.

}, keywords = {Clostridium, Electroporation, Gene Deletion, Genetic Complementation Test, Genetic Vectors, Genetics, Microbial, Metabolic Engineering, Molecular Biology, Plasmids, Transformation, Bacterial}, issn = {1098-5336}, doi = {10.1128/AEM.02891-12}, author = {Leang, Ching and Ueki, Toshiyuki and Nevin, Kelly P and Lovley, Derek R} } @article {3151, title = {Outer cell surface components essential for Fe(III) oxide reduction by Geobacter metallireducens.}, journal = {Appl Environ Microbiol}, volume = {79}, year = {2013}, month = {2013 Feb}, pages = {901-7}, abstract = {

Geobacter species are important Fe(III) reducers in a diversity of soils and sediments. Mechanisms for Fe(III) oxide reduction have been studied in detail in Geobacter sulfurreducens, but a number of the most thoroughly studied outer surface components of G. sulfurreducens, particularly c-type cytochromes, are not well conserved among Geobacter species. In order to identify cellular components potentially important for Fe(III) oxide reduction in Geobacter metallireducens, gene transcript abundance was compared in cells grown on Fe(III) oxide or soluble Fe(III) citrate with whole-genome microarrays. Outer-surface cytochromes were also identified. Deletion of genes for c-type cytochromes that had higher transcript abundance during growth on Fe(III) oxides and/or were detected in the outer-surface protein fraction identified six c-type cytochrome genes, that when deleted removed the capacity for Fe(III) oxide reduction. Several of the c-type cytochromes which were essential for Fe(III) oxide reduction in G. metallireducens have homologs in G. sulfurreducens that are not important for Fe(III) oxide reduction. Other genes essential for Fe(III) oxide reduction included a gene predicted to encode an NHL (Ncl-1-HT2A-Lin-41) repeat-containing protein and a gene potentially involved in pili glycosylation. Genes associated with flagellum-based motility, chemotaxis, and pili had higher transcript abundance during growth on Fe(III) oxide, consistent with the previously proposed importance of these components in Fe(III) oxide reduction. These results demonstrate that there are similarities in extracellular electron transfer between G. metallireducens and G. sulfurreducens but the outer-surface c-type cytochromes involved in Fe(III) oxide reduction are different.

}, keywords = {Bacterial Proteins, Culture Media, Cytochromes c, Electron Transport, Ferric Compounds, Gene Deletion, Gene Expression Profiling, Geobacter, Microarray Analysis, Oxidation-Reduction}, issn = {1098-5336}, doi = {10.1128/AEM.02954-12}, author = {Smith, Jessica A and Lovley, Derek R and Tremblay, Pier-Luc} } @article {3137, title = {U(VI) reduction by diverse outer surface c-type cytochromes of Geobacter sulfurreducens.}, journal = {Appl Environ Microbiol}, volume = {79}, year = {2013}, month = {2013 Oct}, pages = {6369-74}, abstract = {

Early studies with Geobacter sulfurreducens suggested that outer-surface c-type cytochromes might play a role in U(VI) reduction, but it has recently been suggested that there is substantial U(VI) reduction at the surface of the electrically conductive pili known as microbial nanowires. This phenomenon was further investigated. A strain of G. sulfurreducens, known as Aro-5, which produces pili with substantially reduced conductivity reduced U(VI) nearly as well as the wild type, as did a strain in which the gene for PilA, the structural pilin protein, was deleted. In order to reduce rates of U(VI) reduction to levels less than 20\% of the wild-type rates, it was necessary to delete the genes for the five most abundant outer surface c-type cytochromes of G. sulfurreducens. X-ray absorption near-edge structure spectroscopy demonstrated that whereas 83\% {\textpm} 10\% of the uranium associated with wild-type cells correspond to U(IV) after 4 h of incubation, with the quintuple mutant, 89\% {\textpm} 10\% of uranium was U(VI). Transmission electron microscopy and X-ray energy dispersion spectroscopy revealed that wild-type cells did not precipitate uranium along pili as previously reported, but U(IV) was precipitated at the outer cell surface. These findings are consistent with those of previous studies, which have suggested that G. sulfurreducens requires outer-surface c-type cytochromes but not pili for the reduction of soluble extracellular electron acceptors.

}, keywords = {Cytochromes, Fimbriae, Bacterial, Gene Deletion, Geobacter, Microscopy, Electron, Transmission, Oxidation-Reduction, Uranium, X-Ray Absorption Spectroscopy}, issn = {1098-5336}, doi = {10.1128/AEM.02551-13}, author = {Orellana, Roberto and Leavitt, Janet J and Comolli, Luis R and Csencsits, Roseann and Janot, Noemie and Flanagan, Kelly A and Gray, Arianna S and Leang, Ching and Izallalen, Mounir and Mester, T{\"u}nde and Lovley, Derek R} } @article {689, title = {Controlled expression of branch-forming mannosyltransferase is critical for mycobacterial lipoarabinomannan biosynthesis.}, journal = {J Biol Chem}, volume = {285}, year = {2010}, month = {2010 Apr 30}, pages = {13326-36}, abstract = {Lipomannan (LM) and lipoarabinomannan (LAM) are phosphatidylinositol-anchored glycans present in the mycobacterial cell wall. In Mycobacterium smegmatis, the mannan core of LM/LAM constitutes a linear chain of 20-25 alpha1,6-mannoses elaborated by 8-9 alpha1,2-monomannose side branches. At least two alpha1,6-mannosyltransferases mediate the linear mannose chain elongation, and one branching alpha1,2-mannosyltransferase (encoded by MSMEG_4247) transfers monomannose branches. An MSMEG_4247 deletion mutant accumulates branchless LAM and interestingly fails to accumulate LM, suggesting an unexpected role of mannose branching for LM synthesis or maintenance. To understand the roles of MSMEG_4247-mediated branching more clearly, we analyzed the MSMEG_4247 deletion mutant in detail. Our study showed that the deletion mutant restored the synthesis of wild-type LM and LAM upon the expression of MSMEG_4247 at wild-type levels. In striking contrast, overexpression of MSMEG_4247 resulted in the accumulation of dwarfed LM/LAM, although monomannose branching was restored. The dwarfed LAM carried a mannan chain less than half the length of wild-type LAM and was elaborated by an arabinan that was about 4 times smaller. Induced overexpression of an elongating alpha1,6-mannosyltransferase competed with the overexpressed branching enzyme, alleviating the dwarfing effect of the branching enzyme. In wild-type cells, LM and LAM decreased in quantity in the stationary phase, and the expression levels of branching and elongating mannosyltransferases were reduced in concert, presumably to avoid producing abnormal LM/LAM. These data suggest that the coordinated expressions of branching and elongating mannosyltransferases are critical for mannan backbone elongation.}, keywords = {Bacterial Proteins, Cell Wall, Gene Deletion, Lipopolysaccharides, Mannose, Mannosyltransferases, Mycobacterium smegmatis}, issn = {1083-351X}, doi = {10.1074/jbc.M109.077297}, author = {Sena, Chubert B C and Fukuda, Takeshi and Miyanagi, Kana and Matsumoto, Sohkichi and Kobayashi, Kazuo and Murakami, Yoshiko and Maeda, Yusuke and Kinoshita, Taroh and Morita, Yasu S} } @article {442, title = {Production of pilus-like filaments in Geobacter sulfurreducens in the absence of the type IV pilin protein PilA.}, journal = {FEMS Microbiol Lett}, volume = {310}, year = {2010}, month = {2010 Sep 1}, pages = {62-8}, abstract = {The pili of Geobacter sulfurreducens are of interest because of the apparent importance of the type IV pili in extracellular electron transfer. A strain of G. sulfurreducens, designated strain MA, produced many more pili than the previously studied DL-1 strain even though genome resequencing indicated that the MA and DL-1 genome sequences were identical. Filaments that looked similar to type IV pili in transmission electron micrographs were abundant even after the gene encoding PilA, the structural pilin protein, was deleted. The results of proteinase K treatment indicated that the filaments were proteinaceous. The simultaneous deletion of several genes encoding homologues of type II pseudopilins was required before the filaments were significantly depleted. The pilA-deficient MA strain attached to glass as well as the wild-type MA did, but strains in which three or four pseudopilin genes were deleted in addition to pilA had impaired attachment capabilities. These results demonstrate that there are several proteins that can yield pilin-like filaments in G. sulfurreducens and that some means other than microscopic observation is required before the composition of filaments can be unambiguously specified.}, keywords = {Bacterial Adhesion, Fimbriae Proteins, Fimbriae, Bacterial, Gene Deletion, Geobacter, Glass, Microscopy, Electron, Transmission}, issn = {1574-6968}, doi = {10.1111/j.1574-6968.2010.02046.x}, author = {Klimes, Anna and Franks, Ashley E and Glaven, Richard H and Tran, Hoa and Barrett, Christian L and Qiu, Yu and Zengler, Karsten and Lovley, Derek R} } @article {447, title = {Role of Geobacter sulfurreducens outer surface c-type cytochromes in reduction of soil humic acid and anthraquinone-2,6-disulfonate.}, journal = {Appl Environ Microbiol}, volume = {76}, year = {2010}, month = {2010 Apr}, pages = {2371-5}, abstract = {Deleting individual genes for outer surface c-type cytochromes in Geobacter sulfurreducens partially inhibited the reduction of humic substances and anthraquinone-2,6,-disulfonate. Complete inhibition was obtained only when five of these genes were simultaneously deleted, suggesting that diverse outer surface cytochromes can contribute to the reduction of humic substances and other extracellular quinones.}, keywords = {Anthraquinones, Bacterial Proteins, Cytochromes, Gene Deletion, Genes, Bacterial, Geobacter, Humic Substances, Oxidation-Reduction, Soil, Soil Microbiology}, issn = {1098-5336}, doi = {10.1128/AEM.02250-09}, author = {Voordeckers, James W and Kim, Byoung-Chan and Izallalen, Mounir and Lovley, Derek R} } @article {462, title = {Anode biofilm transcriptomics reveals outer surface components essential for high density current production in Geobacter sulfurreducens fuel cells.}, journal = {PLoS One}, volume = {4}, year = {2009}, month = {2009}, pages = {e5628}, abstract = {The mechanisms by which Geobacter sulfurreducens transfers electrons through relatively thick (>50 microm) biofilms to electrodes acting as a sole electron acceptor were investigated. Biofilms of Geobacter sulfurreducens were grown either in flow-through systems with graphite anodes as the electron acceptor or on the same graphite surface, but with fumarate as the sole electron acceptor. Fumarate-grown biofilms were not immediately capable of significant current production, suggesting substantial physiological differences from current-producing biofilms. Microarray analysis revealed 13 genes in current-harvesting biofilms that had significantly higher transcript levels. The greatest increases were for pilA, the gene immediately downstream of pilA, and the genes for two outer c-type membrane cytochromes, OmcB and OmcZ. Down-regulated genes included the genes for the outer-membrane c-type cytochromes, OmcS and OmcT. Results of quantitative RT-PCR of gene transcript levels during biofilm growth were consistent with microarray results. OmcZ and the outer-surface c-type cytochrome, OmcE, were more abundant and OmcS was less abundant in current-harvesting cells. Strains in which pilA, the gene immediately downstream from pilA, omcB, omcS, omcE, or omcZ was deleted demonstrated that only deletion of pilA or omcZ severely inhibited current production and biofilm formation in current-harvesting mode. In contrast, these gene deletions had no impact on biofilm formation on graphite surfaces when fumarate served as the electron acceptor. These results suggest that biofilms grown harvesting current are specifically poised for electron transfer to electrodes and that, in addition to pili, OmcZ is a key component in electron transfer through differentiated G. sulfurreducens biofilms to electrodes.}, keywords = {Amino Acid Sequence, Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins, Bioelectric Energy Sources, Biofilms, Cytochromes, Electrodes, Electron Transport, Fumarates, Gene Deletion, Gene Expression Profiling, Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial, Genetic Complementation Test, Geobacter, Microscopy, Confocal, Molecular Sequence Data, Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis, Oxidation-Reduction, RNA, Messenger, Up-Regulation}, issn = {1932-6203}, doi = {10.1371/journal.pone.0005628}, author = {Nevin, Kelly P and Kim, Byoung-Chan and Glaven, Richard H and Johnson, Jessica P and Woodard, Trevor L and Meth{\'e}, Barbara A and Didonato, Raymond J and Covalla, Sean F and Franks, Ashley E and Liu, Anna and Lovley, Derek R} } @article {483, title = {Genes for two multicopper proteins required for Fe(III) oxide reduction in Geobacter sulfurreducens have different expression patterns both in the subsurface and on energy-harvesting electrodes.}, journal = {Microbiology}, volume = {154}, year = {2008}, month = {2008 May}, pages = {1422-35}, abstract = {Previous studies have shown that Geobacter sulfurreducens requires the outer-membrane, multicopper protein OmpB for Fe(III) oxide reduction. A homologue of OmpB, designated OmpC, which is 36 \% similar to OmpB, has been discovered in the G. sulfurreducens genome. Deletion of ompC inhibited reduction of insoluble, but not soluble Fe(III). Analysis of multiple Geobacter and Pelobacter genomes, as well as in situ Geobacter, indicated that genes encoding multicopper proteins are conserved in Geobacter species but are not found in Pelobacter species. Levels of ompB transcripts were similar in G. sulfurreducens at different growth rates in chemostats and during growth on a microbial fuel cell anode. In contrast, ompC transcript levels increased at higher growth rates in chemostats and with increasing current production in fuel cells. Constant levels of Geobacter ompB transcripts were detected in groundwater during a field experiment in which acetate was added to the subsurface to promote in situ uranium bioremediation. In contrast, ompC transcript levels increased during the rapid phase of growth of Geobacter species following addition of acetate to the groundwater and then rapidly declined. These results demonstrate that more than one multicopper protein is required for optimal Fe(III) oxide reduction in G. sulfurreducens and suggest that, in environmental studies, quantifying OmpB/OmpC-related genes could help alleviate the problem that Pelobacter genes may be inadvertently quantified via quantitative analysis of 16S rRNA genes. Furthermore, comparison of differential expression of ompB and ompC may provide insight into the in situ metabolic state of Geobacter species in environments of interest.}, keywords = {Acetates, Amino Acid Sequence, Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins, Electrodes, Ferric Compounds, Gene Deletion, Gene Expression Profiling, Geobacter, Molecular Sequence Data, Oxidation-Reduction, Phylogeny, Sequence Alignment, Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid, Soil Microbiology, Uranium}, issn = {1350-0872}, doi = {10.1099/mic.0.2007/014365-0}, author = {Holmes, Dawn E and Mester, T{\"u}nde and O{\textquoteright}Neil, Regina A and Perpetua, Lorrie A and Larrahondo, M Juliana and Glaven, Richard and Sharma, Manju L and Ward, Joy E and Nevin, Kelly P and Lovley, Derek R} } @article {472, title = {Highly conserved genes in Geobacter species with expression patterns indicative of acetate limitation.}, journal = {Microbiology}, volume = {154}, year = {2008}, month = {2008 Sep}, pages = {2589-99}, abstract = {Analysis of the genome of Geobacter sulfurreducens revealed four genes encoding putative symporters with homology to ActP, an acetate transporter in Escherichia coli. Three of these genes, aplA, aplB and aplC, are highly similar (over 90 \% identical) and fell within a tight phylogenetic cluster (Group I) consisting entirely of Geobacter homologues. Transcript levels for all three genes increased in response to acetate limitation. The fourth gene, aplD, is phylogenetically distinct (Group II) and its expression was not influenced by acetate availability. Deletion of any one of the three genes in Group I did not significantly affect acetate-dependent growth, suggesting functional redundancy. Attempts to recover mutants in which various combinations of two of these genes were deleted were unsuccessful, suggesting that at least two of these three transporter genes are required to support growth. Closely related Group I apl genes were found in the genomes of other Geobacter species whose genome sequences are available. Furthermore, related genes could be detected in genomic DNA extracted from a subsurface environment undergoing in situ uranium bioremediation. The transporter genes recovered from the subsurface were most closely related to Group I apl genes found in the genomes of cultured Geobacter species that were isolated from contaminated subsurface environments. The increased expression of these genes in response to acetate limitation, their high degree of conservation among Geobacter species and the ease with which they can be detected in environmental samples suggest that Group I apl genes of the Geobacteraceae may be suitable biomarkers for acetate limitation. Monitoring the expression of these genes could aid in the design of strategies for acetate-mediated in situ bioremediation of uranium-contaminated groundwater.}, keywords = {Acetates, Biodegradation, Environmental, DNA, Bacterial, Escherichia coli, Escherichia coli Proteins, Gene Deletion, Gene Expression, Genes, Bacterial, Genome, Bacterial, Geobacter, Membrane Transport Proteins, Phylogeny, Uranium}, issn = {1350-0872}, doi = {10.1099/mic.0.2008/017244-0}, author = {Risso, Carla and Meth{\'e}, Barbara A and Elifantz, Hila and Holmes, Dawn E and Lovley, Derek R} } @article {503, title = {Genome-wide expression profiling in Geobacter sulfurreducens: identification of Fur and RpoS transcription regulatory sites in a relGsu mutant.}, journal = {Funct Integr Genomics}, volume = {7}, year = {2007}, month = {2007 Jul}, pages = {229-55}, abstract = {Rel(Gsu) is the single Geobacter sulfurreducens homolog of RelA and SpoT proteins found in many organisms. These proteins are involved in the regulation of levels of guanosine 3{\textquoteright}, 5{\textquoteright} bispyrophosphate, ppGpp, a molecule that signals slow growth and stress response under nutrient limitation in bacteria. We used information obtained from genome-wide expression profiling of the rel(Gsu) deletion mutant to identify putative regulatory sites involved in transcription networks modulated by Rel(Gsu) or ppGpp. Differential gene expression in the rel(Gsu) deletion mutant, as compared to the wild type, was available from two growth conditions, steady state chemostat cultures and stationary phase batch cultures. Hierarchical clustering analysis of these two datasets identified several groups of operons that are likely co-regulated. Using a search for conserved motifs in the upstream regions of these co-regulated operons, we identified sequences similar to Fur- and RpoS-regulated sites. These findings suggest that Fur- and RpoS-dependent gene expression in G. sulfurreducens is affected by Rel(Gsu)-mediated signaling.}, keywords = {Bacterial Proteins, Base Sequence, Gene Deletion, Gene Expression Profiling, Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial, Genes, Bacterial, Genome, Bacterial, Geobacter, Ligases, Mutation, Operon, Promoter Regions, Genetic, Regulatory Sequences, Nucleic Acid, Repressor Proteins, Sigma Factor, Transcription, Genetic}, issn = {1438-793X}, doi = {10.1007/s10142-007-0048-5}, author = {Krushkal, Julia and Yan, Bin and DiDonato, Laurie N and Puljic, Marko and Nevin, Kelly P and Woodard, Trevor L and Adkins, Ronald M and Meth{\'e}, Barbara A and Lovley, Derek R} } @article {499, title = {Involvement of Geobacter sulfurreducens SfrAB in acetate metabolism rather than intracellular, respiration-linked Fe(III) citrate reduction.}, journal = {Microbiology}, volume = {153}, year = {2007}, month = {2007 Oct}, pages = {3572-85}, abstract = {A soluble ferric reductase, SfrAB, which catalysed the NADPH-dependent reduction of chelated Fe(III), was previously purified from the dissimilatory Fe(III)-reducing micro-organism Geobacter sulfurreducens, suggesting that reduction of chelated forms of Fe(III) might be cytoplasmic. However, metabolically active spheroplast suspensions could not catalyse acetate-dependent Fe(III) citrate reduction, indicating that periplasmic and/or outer-membrane components were required for Fe(III) citrate reduction. Furthermore, phenotypic analysis of an SfrAB knockout mutant suggested that SfrAB was involved in acetate metabolism rather than respiration-linked Fe(III) reduction. The mutant could not grow via the reduction of either Fe(III) citrate or fumarate when acetate was the electron donor but could grow with either acceptor if either hydrogen or formate served as the electron donor. Following prolonged incubation in acetate : fumarate medium in the absence of hydrogen and formate, an {\textquoteright}acetate-adapted{\textquoteright} SfrAB-null strain was isolated that was capable of growth on acetate : fumarate medium but not acetate : Fe(III) citrate medium. Comparison of gene expression in this strain with that of the wild-type revealed upregulation of a potential NADPH-dependent ferredoxin oxidoreductase as well as genes involved in energy generation and amino acid uptake, suggesting that NADPH homeostasis and the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle were perturbed in the {\textquoteright}acetate-adapted{\textquoteright} SfrAB-null strain. Membrane and soluble fractions prepared from the {\textquoteright}acetate-adapted{\textquoteright} strain were depleted of NADPH-dependent Fe(III), viologen and quinone reductase activities. These results indicate that cytoplasmic, respiration-linked reduction of Fe(III) by SfrAB in vivo is unlikely and suggest that deleting SfrAB may interfere with growth via acetate oxidation by interfering with NADP regeneration.}, keywords = {Acetates, Amino Acid Transport Systems, Bacterial Proteins, Cell Membrane, Citric Acid Cycle, Cytoplasm, Energy Metabolism, Ferric Compounds, Formic Acids, Fumarates, Gene Deletion, Gene Expression Profiling, Geobacter, Hydrogen, NADH, NADPH Oxidoreductases, Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis}, issn = {1350-0872}, doi = {10.1099/mic.0.2007/006478-0}, author = {Coppi, Maddalena V and O{\textquoteright}Neil, Regina A and Leang, Ching and Kaufmann, Franz and Meth{\'e}, Barbara A and Nevin, Kelly P and Woodard, Trevor L and Liu, Anna and Lovley, Derek R} } @article {512, title = {Computational prediction of RpoS and RpoD regulatory sites in Geobacter sulfurreducens using sequence and gene expression information.}, journal = {Gene}, volume = {384}, year = {2006}, month = {2006 Dec 15}, pages = {73-95}, abstract = {RpoS, the sigma S subunit of RNA polymerase, is vital during the growth and survival of Geobacter sulfurreducens under conditions typically encountered in its native subsurface environments. We investigated the conservation of sites that may be important for RpoS function in G. sulfurreducens. We also employed sequence information and expression microarray data to predict G. sulfurreducens genome sites that may be related to RpoS regulation. Hierarchical clustering identified three clusters of significantly downregulated genes in the rpoS deletion mutant. The search for conserved overrepresented motifs in co-regulated operons identified likely -35 and -10 promoter elements upstream of a number of functionally important G. sulfurreducens operons that were downregulated in the rpoS deletion mutant. Putative -35/-10 promoter elements were also identified in the G. sulfurreducens genome using sequence similarity searches to matrices of -35/-10 promoter elements found in G. sulfurreducens and in Escherichia coli. Due to a sufficient degree of sequence similarity between -35/-10 promoter elements for RpoS, RpoD, and other sigma factors, both the sequence similarity searches and the search for conserved overrepresented motifs using microarray data may identify promoter elements for both RpoS and other sigma factors.}, keywords = {Amino Acid Sequence, Bacterial Proteins, Base Sequence, Citrates, Computational Biology, Conserved Sequence, DNA-Directed RNA Polymerases, Escherichia coli, Escherichia coli Proteins, Gene Deletion, Gene Expression Profiling, Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial, Genes, Bacterial, Genome, Bacterial, Geobacter, Molecular Sequence Data, Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis, Operon, Promoter Regions, Genetic, Sigma Factor, Transcription, Genetic}, issn = {0378-1119}, doi = {10.1016/j.gene.2006.06.025}, author = {Yan, Bin and N{\'u}{\~n}ez, Cinthia and Ueki, Toshiyuki and Esteve-N{\'u}{\~n}ez, Abraham and Puljic, Marko and Adkins, Ronald M and Meth{\'e}, Barbara A and Lovley, Derek R and Krushkal, Julia} } @article {522, title = {DNA microarray and proteomic analyses of the RpoS regulon in Geobacter sulfurreducens.}, journal = {J Bacteriol}, volume = {188}, year = {2006}, month = {2006 Apr}, pages = {2792-800}, abstract = {The regulon of the sigma factor RpoS was defined in Geobacter sulfurreducens by using a combination of DNA microarray expression profiles and proteomics. An rpoS mutant was examined under steady-state conditions with acetate as an electron donor and fumarate as an electron acceptor and with additional transcriptional profiling using Fe(III) as an electron acceptor. Expression analysis revealed that RpoS acts as both a positive and negative regulator. Many of the RpoS-dependent genes determined play roles in energy metabolism, including the tricarboxylic acid cycle, signal transduction, transport, protein synthesis and degradation, and amino acid metabolism and transport. As expected, RpoS activated genes involved in oxidative stress resistance and adaptation to nutrient limitation. Transcription of the cytochrome c oxidase operon, necessary for G. sulfurreducens growth using oxygen as an electron acceptor, and expression of at least 13 c-type cytochromes, including one previously shown to participate in Fe(III) reduction (MacA), were RpoS dependent. Analysis of a subset of the rpoS mutant proteome indicated that 15 major protein species showed reproducible differences in abundance relative to those of the wild-type strain. Protein identification using mass spectrometry indicated that the expression of seven of these proteins correlated with the microarray data. Collectively, these results indicate that RpoS exerts global effects on G. sulfurreducens physiology and that RpoS is vital to G. sulfurreducens survival under conditions typically encountered in its native subsurface environments.}, keywords = {Adaptation, Physiological, Amino Acids, Bacterial Proteins, Biological Transport, Citric Acid Cycle, Cytochromes, Electrophoresis, Gel, Two-Dimensional, Gene Deletion, Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial, Geobacter, Mass Spectrometry, Mutagenesis, Insertional, Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis, Oxidative Stress, Protein Biosynthesis, Proteome, Regulon, Sigma Factor, Signal Transduction}, issn = {0021-9193}, doi = {10.1128/JB.188.8.2792-2800.2006}, author = {N{\'u}{\~n}ez, Cinthia and Esteve-N{\'u}{\~n}ez, Abraham and Giometti, Carol and Tollaksen, Sandra and Khare, Tripti and Lin, Winston and Lovley, Derek R and Meth{\'e}, Barbara A} } @article {521, title = {Two putative c-type multiheme cytochromes required for the expression of OmcB, an outer membrane protein essential for optimal Fe(III) reduction in Geobacter sulfurreducens.}, journal = {J Bacteriol}, volume = {188}, year = {2006}, month = {2006 Apr}, pages = {3138-42}, abstract = {Deletion of two homologous Geobacter sulfurreducens c-type cytochrome genes, omcG and omcH, decreased the rate of Fe(III) reduction and decreased the level of an outer membrane cytochrome critical for Fe(III) reduction, OmcB, without affecting its transcription. Expression of either gene restored Fe(III) reduction and OmcB expression, suggesting functional similarity.}, keywords = {Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins, Bacterial Proteins, Blotting, Northern, Blotting, Western, Cytochromes c, Ferric Compounds, Gene Deletion, Gene Expression, Genes, Bacterial, Geobacter, Oxidation-Reduction, RNA, Bacterial, RNA, Messenger}, issn = {0021-9193}, doi = {10.1128/JB.188.8.3138-3142.2006}, author = {Kim, Byoung-Chan and Qian, Xinlei and Leang, Ching and Coppi, Maddalena V and Lovley, Derek R} } @article {534, title = {A novel Geobacteraceae-specific outer membrane protein J (OmpJ) is essential for electron transport to Fe(III) and Mn(IV) oxides in Geobacter sulfurreducens.}, journal = {BMC Microbiol}, volume = {5}, year = {2005}, month = {2005}, pages = {41}, abstract = {BACKGROUND: Metal reduction is thought to take place at or near the bacterial outer membrane and, thus, outer membrane proteins in the model dissimilatory metal-reducing organism Geobacter sulfurreducens are of interest to understand the mechanisms of Fe(III) reduction in the Geobacter species that are the predominant Fe(III) reducers in many environments. Previous studies have implicated periplasmic and outer membrane cytochromes in electron transfer to metals. Here we show that the most abundant outer membrane protein of G. sulfurreducens, OmpJ, is not a cytochrome yet it is required for metal respiration. RESULTS: When outer membrane proteins of G. sulfurreducens were separated via SDS-PAGE, one protein, designated OmpJ (outer membrane protein J), was particularly abundant. The encoding gene, which was identified from mass spectrometry analysis of peptide fragments, is present in other Geobacteraceae, but not in organisms outside this family. The predicted localization and structure of the OmpJ protein suggested that it was a porin. Deletion of the ompJ gene in G. sulfurreducens produced a strain that grew as well as the wild-type strain with fumarate as the electron acceptor but could not grow with metals, such as soluble or insoluble Fe(III) and insoluble Mn(IV) oxide, as the electron acceptor. The heme c content in the mutant strain was ca. 50\% of the wild-type and there was a widespread loss of multiple cytochromes from soluble and membrane fractions. Transmission electron microscopy analyses of mutant cells revealed an unusually enlarged periplasm, which is likely to trigger extracytoplasmic stress response mechanisms leading to the degradation of periplasmic and/or outer membrane proteins, such as cytochromes, required for metal reduction. Thus, the loss of the capacity for extracellular electron transport in the mutant could be due to the missing c-type cytochromes, or some more direct, but as yet unknown, role of OmpJ in metal reduction. CONCLUSION: OmpJ is a putative porin found in the outer membrane of the model metal reducer G. sulfurreducens that is required for respiration of extracellular electron acceptors such as soluble and insoluble metals. The effect of OmpJ in extracellular electron transfer is indirect, as OmpJ is required to keep the integrity of the periplasmic space necessary for proper folding and functioning of periplasmic and outer membrane electron transport components. The exclusive presence of ompJ in members of the Geobacteraceae family as well as its role in metal reduction suggest that the ompJ sequence may be useful in tracking the growth or activity of Geobacteraceae in sedimentary environments.}, keywords = {Amino Acid Sequence, Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins, Base Sequence, Biological Transport, Deltaproteobacteria, DNA Primers, Ferric Compounds, Gene Deletion, Genome, Bacterial, Geobacter, Manganese Compounds, Molecular Sequence Data, Oxides, Peptide Fragments, Phylogeny, Protein Structure, Secondary, Spectrometry, Mass, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization}, issn = {1471-2180}, doi = {10.1186/1471-2180-5-41}, author = {Afkar, Eman and Reguera, Gemma and Schiffer, Marianne and Lovley, Derek R} } @article {536, title = {OmcF, a putative c-Type monoheme outer membrane cytochrome required for the expression of other outer membrane cytochromes in Geobacter sulfurreducens.}, journal = {J Bacteriol}, volume = {187}, year = {2005}, month = {2005 Jul}, pages = {4505-13}, abstract = {Outer membrane cytochromes are often proposed as likely agents for electron transfer to extracellular electron acceptors, such as Fe(III). The omcF gene in the dissimilatory Fe(III)-reducing microorganism Geobacter sulfurreducens is predicted to code for a small outer membrane monoheme c-type cytochrome. An OmcF-deficient strain was constructed, and its ability to reduce and grow on Fe(III) citrate was found to be impaired. Following a prolonged lag phase (150 h), the OmcF-deficient strain developed the ability to grow in Fe(III) citrate medium with doubling times and yields that were ca. 145\% and 70\% of those of the wild type, respectively. Comparison of the c-type cytochrome contents of outer membrane-enriched fractions prepared from wild-type and OmcF-deficient cultures confirmed the outer membrane association of OmcF and revealed multiple changes in the cytochrome content of the OmcF-deficient strain. These changes included loss of expression of two previously characterized outer membrane cytochromes, OmcB and OmcC, and overexpression of a third previously characterized outer membrane cytochrome, OmcS, during growth on Fe(III) citrate. The omcB and omcC transcripts could not be detected in the OmcF-deficient mutant by either reverse transcriptase PCR or Northern blot analyses. Expression of the omcF gene in trans restored both the capacity of the OmcF-deficient mutant to reduce Fe(III) and wild-type levels of omcB and omcC mRNA and protein. Thus, elimination of OmcF may impair Fe(III) reduction by influencing expression of OmcB, which has previously been demonstrated to play a critical role in Fe(III) reduction.}, keywords = {Amino Acid Sequence, Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins, Cytochromes c, Ferric Compounds, Gene Deletion, Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial, Geobacter, Molecular Sequence Data, Oxidation-Reduction, Sequence Alignment}, issn = {0021-9193}, doi = {10.1128/JB.187.13.4505-4513.2005}, author = {Kim, Byoung-Chan and Leang, Ching and Ding, Yan-Huai R and Glaven, Richard H and Coppi, Maddalena V and Lovley, Derek R} } @article {537, title = {Regulation of two highly similar genes, omcB and omcC, in a 10 kb chromosomal duplication in Geobacter sulfurreducens.}, journal = {Microbiology}, volume = {151}, year = {2005}, month = {2005 Jun}, pages = {1761-7}, abstract = {The Fe(III)-reducing micro-organism Geobacter sulfurreducens requires an outer-membrane c-type cytochrome, OmcB, for Fe(III) reduction, but a related cytochrome, OmcC, which is 73 \% identical to OmcB, is not required. The omcB and omcC genes are part of a tandem chromosomal duplication consisting of two repeated clusters of four genes. The 2.7 kb sequences preceding omcB and omcC are identical with the exception of a single base pair change. Studies that combined genetic, Northern blotting and primer extension analyses demonstrated that both omcB and omcC are transcribed as monocistronic and polycistronic (orf1-orf2-omcB/omcC) transcripts. All of the promoters for the various transcripts were found to be located within the 2.7 kb identical region upstream of omcB and omcC. The sequences of the promoter regions for the two monocistronic transcripts are identical and equidistant from the omcB or omcC start codons. The promoters for the two polycistronic transcripts, in contrast, are distinct. One is specific for transcription of orf1-orf2-omcB and the other is associated with transcription of orf1-orf2-omcC. Studies with an RpoS-deficient mutant suggested that transcription from all four promoters is RpoS dependent under one or more growth conditions. Deletion of orfR, a gene immediately upstream of orf1-orf2-omcB that encodes a putative transcriptional regulator, significantly lowered the omcB transcription when Fe(III) was the electron acceptor and partially inhibited Fe(III) reduction. In contrast, levels of omcC transcripts were unaffected in the orfR mutant. These results indicate that omcB and omcC operons represent a rare instance in which duplicated operons, located in tandem on the chromosome, have different transcriptional regulation.}, keywords = {Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins, Bacterial Proteins, Blotting, Northern, DNA, Bacterial, Gene Deletion, Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial, Geobacter, Molecular Sequence Data, Operon, Promoter Regions, Genetic, RNA, Bacterial, RNA, Messenger, Sequence Analysis, DNA, Sigma Factor, Transcription, Genetic}, issn = {1350-0872}, doi = {10.1099/mic.0.27870-0}, author = {Leang, Ching and Lovley, Derek R} } @article {551, title = {MacA, a diheme c-type cytochrome involved in Fe(III) reduction by Geobacter sulfurreducens.}, journal = {J Bacteriol}, volume = {186}, year = {2004}, month = {2004 Jun}, pages = {4042-5}, abstract = {A 36-kDa diheme c-type cytochrome abundant in Fe(III)-respiring Geobacter sulfurreducens, designated MacA, was more highly expressed during growth with Fe(III) as the electron acceptor than with fumarate. Although MacA has homology to proteins with in vitro peroxidase activity, deletion of macA had no impact on response to oxidative stress. However, the capacity for Fe(III) reduction was greatly diminished, indicating that MacA, which is predicted to be localized in the periplasm, is a key intermediate in electron transfer to Fe(III).}, keywords = {Amino Acid Sequence, Bacterial Proteins, Cytochrome c Group, Deltaproteobacteria, Electron Transport, Ferric Compounds, Gene Deletion, Molecular Sequence Data, Oxidation-Reduction}, issn = {0021-9193}, doi = {10.1128/JB.186.12.4042-4045.2004}, author = {Butler, Jessica E and Kaufmann, Franz and Coppi, Maddalena V and N{\'u}{\~n}ez, Cinthia and Lovley, Derek R} } @article {42, title = {Expression of the yeast PIS1 gene requires multiple regulatory elements including a Rox1p binding site.}, journal = {J Biol Chem}, volume = {278}, year = {2003}, month = {2003 Oct 3}, pages = {38646-52}, abstract = {The PIS1 gene is required for de novo synthesis of phosphatidylinositol (PI), an essential phospholipid in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. PIS1 gene expression is unusual because it is uncoupled from the other phospholipid biosynthetic genes, which are regulated in response to inositol and choline. Relatively little is known about regulation of transcription of the PIS1 gene. We reported previously that PIS1 transcription is sensitive to carbon source. To further our understanding of the regulation of PIS1 transcription, we carried out a promoter deletion analysis that identified three regions required for PIS1 gene expression (upstream activating sequence (UAS) elements 1-3). Deletion of either UAS1 or UAS2 resulted in an approximately 45\% reduction in expression, whereas removal of UAS3 yielded an 84\% decrease in expression. A comparison of promoters among several Saccharomyces species shows that these sequences are highly conserved. Curiously, the UAS3 element region (-149 to -138) includes a Rox1p binding site. Rox1p is a repressor of hypoxic genes under aerobic growth conditions. Consistent with this, we have found that expression of a PIS1-cat reporter was repressed under aerobic conditions, and this repression was dependent on both Rox1p and its binding site. Furthermore, PI levels were elevated under anaerobic conditions. This is the first evidence that PI levels are affected by regulation of PIS1 transcription.}, keywords = {Anoxia, Base Sequence, Binding Sites, Carbon, Chloramphenicol O-Acetyltransferase, Choline, Chromatography, Thin Layer, Conserved Sequence, DNA, DNA, Complementary, DNA-Binding Proteins, Gene Deletion, Gene Expression Regulation, Fungal, Genes, Reporter, Inositol, Lipid Metabolism, Models, Biological, Models, Genetic, Molecular Sequence Data, Oxygen, Phospholipids, Plasmids, Promoter Regions, Genetic, Protein Binding, Repressor Proteins, RNA, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins, Transcription, Genetic, Transferases (Other Substituted Phosphate Groups)}, issn = {0021-9258}, doi = {10.1074/jbc.M305251200}, author = {Gardocki, Mary Elizabeth and Lopes, John M} }