Electrical current disrupts the electron transfer in defined consortia

Improving methane production through electrical current application to anaerobic digesters has garnered interest in optimizing such microbial electrochemical technologies, with claims suggesting direct interspecies electron transfer (DIET) at the cathode enhances methane yield. However, previous studies with mixed microbial communities only reported interspecies interactions based on species co-occurrence at the cathode, lacking insight into how a poised cathode influences well-defined DIET-based partnerships. To address this, we investigated the impact of continuous and discontinuous exposure to a poised cathode (-0.7 V vs. standard hydrogen electrode) on a defined consortium of Geobacter metallireducens and Methanosarcina barkeri, known for their DIET capabilities. The physiology of DIET consortia exposed to electrical current was compared to that of unexposed consortia. In current-exposed incubations, overall metabolic activity and cell numbers for both partners declined. The consortium, receiving electrons from the poised cathode, accumulated acetate and hydrogen, with only 32% of the recovered electrons allocated to methane production. Discontinuous exposure intensified these detrimental effects. Conversely, unexposed control reactors efficiently converted ethanol to methane, transiently accumulating acetate and recovering 88% of electrons in methane. Our results demonstrate the overall detrimental effect of electrochemical stimulation on a DIET consortium. Besides, the data indicate that the presence of an alternative electron donor (cathode) hinders efficient electron retrieval by the methanogen from Geobacter, and induces catabolic repression of oxidative metabolism in Geobacter. This study emphasizes understanding specific DIET-based interactions to enhance methane production during electrical stimulation, providing insights for optimizing tailored interspecies partnerships in microbial electrochemical technologies.