Role of outer‐membrane cytochromes MtrC and OmcA in the biomineralization of ferrihydrite by Shewanella oneidensis MR‐1

In an effort to improve the understanding of electron transfer mechanisms at the microbe-mineral interface, Shewanella oneidensis MR-1 mutants with in-frame deletions of outer membrane cytochrome genes mtrC, omcA, or both, were characterized for the ability to reduce metal oxides using a suite of microscopic, spectroscopic, and biochemicalr techniques. The results indicate that neither MtrC nor OmcA are essential for the reduction of soluble, complexed Fe(III)-citrate or Fe(III)-NTA; however, at least one of these outer membrane cytochromes is required for the reduction of Fe(III)- and Mn(III/IV)- oxides. In vitro analysis of purified, recombinant protein demonstrated that both cytochromes transfer electrons directly to metal-oxides; however, MtrC transfers electrons at a faster rate than OmcA. Immunolocalization of MtrC and OmcA reveal that both cytochromes are surface-exposed on the cell outer-membrane and co-localize with insoluble iron precipitates when respiring ferrihydrite or cultured aerobically with Fe(III)-citrate. Additionally, during prolonged incubation, wild-type cells promoted biotransformation of ferrihydrite to vivianite [Fe3(PO4)2•8H2O] while the double cytochrome mutant was unable to form any secondary mineral phases. Collectively, our results support a role for direct electron transfer from OMCs to metal oxides by establishing their in vitro electron transfer activities, confirming the requirement of either MtrC or OmcA formore » in vivo reductive biomineralization of ferrihydrite, and localizing the cytochromes to the cell exterior where they can directly contact mineral substrates.« less