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Assessment of Cellular Oxidation using a Subcellular Compartment-Specific Redox-Sensitive Green Fluorescent Protein
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Long Range Correlation in Redox Potential Fluctuations Signals Energetic Efficiency of Bacterial Fe(II) Oxidation
Allison M L Enright1, Brock A Edwards2, F Grant Ferris2
1Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Rutgers University - Newark, 101 Warren St., Newark, NJ, 07102, USA. allison.m.enright@gmail.com.
Scientific Reports
|March 13, 2019
Summary
This study shows that detrending fluctuation analysis (DFA) can distinguish microbial iron oxidation from abiotic processes. Biologically influenced systems show stronger long-range correlations, indicating microbial activity is more energetically efficient.
Area of Science:
- Geochemistry
- Microbiology
- Biogeochemistry
Background:
- Distinguishing biotic and abiotic processes is challenging, especially microbial roles in geochemistry.
- Biologically influenced systems exhibit stronger long-range correlations than abiotic systems.
Purpose of the Study:
- Evaluate the relationship between long-range correlation of redox potential and oxidation rates of bacterial iron (Fe(II)) oxidation.
- Apply detrended fluctuation analysis (DFA) to differentiate microbial metabolic activity from abiotic processes.
Main Methods:
- Utilized batch microcosms with bacteriogenic iron oxides (BIOS).
- Analyzed redox potential using detrended fluctuation analysis (DFA).
- Measured Fe(II) oxidation rates and free energy of reaction (ΔGm).
Main Results:
- Initial DFA scaling exponents were higher for biotic (ca. 1.80) than abiotic (ca. 1.20) microcosms.
- Correlation strength decayed with reaction time, dependent on free energy.
- Abiotic microcosms showed faster decay rates than biotic ones.
- Biotic systems had lower ΔGm relaxation edges, suggesting greater energetic efficiency.
Conclusions:
- Detrended fluctuation analysis (DFA) can effectively distinguish microbial metabolic activity from abiotic geochemical processes.
- Biologically catalyzed iron oxidation appears more energetically efficient than abiotic reactions.
- DFA techniques may differentiate metabolisms among chemoautotrophs.
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