Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Microbial Mats01:25

Microbial Mats

Microbial communities forming biofilms and mats represent complex, spatially structured ecosystems where metabolic processes are stratified according to light, oxygen, and nutrient gradients. Biofilms are initial colonization stages, only a few millimeters thick, while mature microbial mats can reach centimeter-scale thickness and display intricate vertical organization. Their structural and functional heterogeneity allows microorganisms to occupy distinct ecological niches within a few...
Microbes and Other Elemental Cycles01:24

Microbes and Other Elemental Cycles

Microbial activity plays a pivotal role in the biogeochemical cycling of iron and manganese, especially at the redox gradients characteristic of stratified aquatic environments. These cycles are driven by microbial transformations between oxidized and reduced forms of the metals, allowing organisms to exploit them for metabolic energy and structural purposes.Iron Cycling Across Redox GradientsIn neutral, oxygen-rich surface waters, iron is predominantly found in its oxidized, insoluble ferric...
Marine Microbial Ecology01:30

Marine Microbial Ecology

Marine microbial ecosystems are shaped by distinct physicochemical limits, including high salinity, low nutrient availability, and fluctuating oxygen levels. These conditions favor smaller microbial cell sizes, which maximize their surface-to-volume ratio for efficient nutrient uptake.Microbial activity and community composition are closely linked to biogeochemical cycles, particularly in dynamic environments like estuaries, where halotolerant microbes thrive in response to variable salinity...
Metabolism of Chemolithotrophs01:15

Metabolism of Chemolithotrophs

Chemolithotrophs are microorganisms that obtain energy by oxidizing inorganic molecules such as hydrogen gas (H₂), ammonia (NH₃), reduced sulfur compounds (H₂S, S²⁻), and ferrous iron (Fe²⁺). Unlike heterotrophic organisms that rely on organic carbon, chemolithotrophs transfer electrons from these inorganic donors to the electron transport chain (ETC), generating a proton motive force (PMF) that drives ATP synthesis through oxidative phosphorylation. However, because inorganic electron donors...
Microbial Nutrition01:28

Microbial Nutrition

Organisms exhibit remarkable metabolic diversity, categorized based on how they acquire energy and carbon. These strategies enable survival in various ecological niches and are essential for maintaining energy flow and nutrient cycling within ecosystems.Energy and Carbon SourcesOrganisms are classified as phototrophs or chemotrophs based on energy acquisition. Phototrophs use light as their energy source, while chemotrophs rely on oxidizing chemical compounds. Further differentiation arises...
Deep Sea Microbial Ecology01:18

Deep Sea Microbial Ecology

The deep ocean and its underlying sediments represent vast, largely unexplored microbial habitats that extend far beyond the sunlit photic zone. The photic (euphotic) zone typically spans the upper ~100–200 meters of pelagic waters in the open ocean, but its depth varies geographically and seasonally, where sufficient light supports photosynthetic life. Below this lies the deep sea, spanning roughly 1000–6000 meters (bathypelagic to abyssal zones), with deeper hadal trenches extending beyond...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Geochemistry shapes microbial diversity and selected functional traits in flowback and produced waters from hydraulically fractured formations.

FEMS microbiology ecology·2026
Same author

Hypophosphite Is a Naturally Occurring Selective Inhibitor of Syntrophic Methanogenesis.

Environmental science & technology·2026
Same author

Mapping the soil microbiome functions shaping wetland methane emissions.

mSystems·2026
Same author

Polyhydroxyalkanoates as ecological currencies across the microbial tree of life.

Advances in microbial physiology·2026
Same author

Organic carbon oxidation state shapes fermentative methanogenic microbiomes and controls greenhouse gas fluxes.

Nature communications·2026
Same author

Growth-associated polyhydroxybutyrate accumulation in <i>Azospira suillum</i> PS during aerobic and perchlorate respiration.

Frontiers in microbiology·2026

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 12, 2026

Self-standing Electrochemical Set-up to Enrich Anode-respiring Bacteria On-site
05:29

Self-standing Electrochemical Set-up to Enrich Anode-respiring Bacteria On-site

Published on: July 24, 2018

Bacterial community structure corresponds to performance during cathodic nitrate reduction.

Kelly C Wrighton1, Bernardino Virdis, Peter Clauwaert

  • 1Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA.

The ISME Journal
|June 4, 2010
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) can power reactions. A loop reactor design enhanced microbial communities in cathode biofilms, boosting performance through greater bacterial richness and evenness.

More Related Videos

A Novel Bioreactor for High Density Cultivation of Diverse Microbial Communities
08:13

A Novel Bioreactor for High Density Cultivation of Diverse Microbial Communities

Published on: December 25, 2015

Characterizing Microbiome Dynamics &#8211; Flow Cytometry Based Workflows from Pure Cultures to Natural Communities
09:57

Characterizing Microbiome Dynamics – Flow Cytometry Based Workflows from Pure Cultures to Natural Communities

Published on: July 12, 2018

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 12, 2026

Self-standing Electrochemical Set-up to Enrich Anode-respiring Bacteria On-site
05:29

Self-standing Electrochemical Set-up to Enrich Anode-respiring Bacteria On-site

Published on: July 24, 2018

A Novel Bioreactor for High Density Cultivation of Diverse Microbial Communities
08:13

A Novel Bioreactor for High Density Cultivation of Diverse Microbial Communities

Published on: December 25, 2015

Characterizing Microbiome Dynamics &#8211; Flow Cytometry Based Workflows from Pure Cultures to Natural Communities
09:57

Characterizing Microbiome Dynamics – Flow Cytometry Based Workflows from Pure Cultures to Natural Communities

Published on: July 12, 2018

Area of Science:

  • Environmental Microbiology
  • Electromicrobiology
  • Bioelectrochemistry

Background:

  • Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) offer applications beyond electricity generation, including powering cathode chamber reactions.
  • Understanding the microbial ecology and physiology of biocathodes is crucial for optimizing MFC performance.
  • Research into microbial communities in cathode biofilms is needed to harness their full potential.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To characterize the microbial communities in denitrifying biocathodes.
  • To compare the performance of loop and non-loop reactor configurations for cathodic denitrification.
  • To identify factors correlating with enhanced cathode performance.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of biofilms from two cathodic denitrification systems: loop and non-loop formats.
  • Utilized PhyloChip with 16S rRNA (cDNA) and fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH).
  • Quantified bacterial richness, evenness, and phylogenetic diversity.

Main Results:

  • The loop reactor configuration demonstrated superior performance in current production and nitrate removal.
  • Denitrifying biocathodes exhibited greater richness and phylogenetic diversity than previously identified.
  • Dominant bacterial phyla included Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, and Chloroflexi.
  • Bacterial community structure (richness and evenness) correlated better with cathode performance than specific phylogenetic affiliations.

Conclusions:

  • The loop reactor design significantly enhances biocathode performance in MFCs.
  • Increased bacterial richness and evenness in cathode biofilms are key drivers of improved denitrification efficiency.
  • Future MFC development should focus on optimizing biofilm structure for enhanced microbial activity.