Species interaction by direct electron transfer in syntrophic communities.

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15K14608
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Ecology/Environment
• Research Institution: Tokyo Institute of Technology (2016-2017); Tokyo Metropolitan University (2015)
• Principal Investigator: McGlynn Shawn 東京工業大学, 地球生命研究所, 准教授 (10751084)
• Research Collaborator: Victoria Orphan California Institute of Technology, Geological and planetary Sciences, Professor
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: electron transfer / methane oxidation / archaea / cytochrome / microscopy / antibody

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We were able to demonstrate new microscopy methods which are applicable to studying environmentally derived microbes. In addition, we have now synthesized antibodies which are predicted to bind extracellular cytochromes. These will be used in future research, together with our new microscopy methods. During the project, we hunted for microbes which might be utilizing extracellular cytochromes to gain further insight into the diversity and ecology of interspecies electron transfer in nature, and we published our findings based on genomics and geochemical measurements. Additionally, through collaboration, we identified a new organism capable of cathodic electron transfer. Finally, we reviewed and integrated knowledge of C-1 metabolism in methanogens and ANME archaea with a focus on how energy conservation may occur in these organisms .

Free Research Field

Geomicrobiology