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Extracellular respiration.

Jeffrey A Gralnick1, Dianne K Newman

  • 1Department of Microbiology, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN, USA. gralnick@umn.edu

Molecular Microbiology
|June 22, 2007
PubMed
Summary
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Microbes utilize extracellular respiration to gain energy by transferring electrons to insoluble minerals or large/toxic soluble substrates. This process, involving cell-surface respiration, is a key area for molecular microbiology research.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Biochemistry
  • Molecular Biology

Background:

  • Microbes generate energy through diverse metabolic strategies.
  • Extracellular respiration, involving electron transfer to/from external substrates, is increasingly recognized.
  • Electron transfer to minerals (e.g., iron, manganese oxides) is a well-known example.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review examples of extracellular respiration.
  • To highlight the molecular mechanisms of these processes.
  • To identify knowledge gaps in the study of extracellular respiration.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of microbial extracellular respiration.
  • Analysis of molecular mechanisms in microbial electron transfer.
  • Discussion of biochemical, cell biological, and regulatory aspects.

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Main Results:

  • Extracellular respiration extends beyond mineral substrates to include "soluble" compounds.
  • Reasons for cell-surface respiration of soluble substrates include insolubility in ecological context, large molecular size, or toxicity upon metabolism.
  • Diverse examples of extracellular respiration are presented.

Conclusions:

  • Extracellular respiration is a significant microbial energy strategy with diverse substrates.
  • The molecular mechanisms, biochemistry, cell biology, and regulation of extracellular respiration require further investigation.
  • This field offers rich opportunities for molecular microbiologists.