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Updated: Nov 25, 2025
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Characterizing Mediated Extracellular Electron Transfer in Lactic Acid Bacteria with a Three-Electrode, Two-Chamber Bioelectrochemical System
Published on: August 23, 2024
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Microbial extracellular electron transfer and strategies for engineering electroactive microorganisms.
Juntao Zhao1, Feng Li1, Yingxiu Cao1
1Frontier Science Center for Synthetic Biology and Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (Ministry of Education), SynBioResearch Platform, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering (Tianjin), School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, People's Republic of China.
Biotechnology Advances
|December 16, 2020
Summary
Electroactive microorganisms (EAMs) use extracellular electron transfer (EET) for energy and environmental applications. This review details strategies to enhance EAM efficiency for bioelectrochemical systems (BESs).
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Bioelectrochemistry
- Environmental Science
Background:
- Electroactive microorganisms (EAMs) are vital for bioelectrochemical systems (BESs) due to their extracellular electron transfer (EET) capabilities.
- While EET mechanisms in Shewanella and Geobacter are known, those in other microbes remain less understood.
- Low EET efficiency currently limits the development and application of BESs.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the EET mechanisms across diverse microorganisms (bacteria, fungi, archaea).
- To detail engineering strategies for enhancing EAM EET efficiency.
- To explore future directions integrating systems and synthetic biology for advanced EAMs.
Main Methods:
- Focus on reviewing existing literature on EET mechanisms in various EAMs.
- Detailed description of three key engineering strategies to improve EET.
- Exploration of interdisciplinary approaches for future EAM development.
Main Results:
- EET mechanisms vary among bacteria, fungi, and archaea.
- Three primary strategies identified for enhancing EET: improving transmembrane transport, accelerating electron shuttling, and optimizing microbe-electrode interfaces.
- Cross-disciplinary integration holds promise for high-performance EAM systems.
Conclusions:
- Understanding diverse EET mechanisms is crucial for advancing EAM applications.
- Engineering strategies offer viable pathways to overcome current limitations in BES efficiency.
- Future research integrating systems and synthetic biology will drive innovation in EAM technology.
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