2024
Widespread extracellular electron transfer pathways for charging microbial cytochrome OmcS nanowires via periplasmic cytochromes PpcABCDE
Portela P, Shipps C, Shen C, Srikanth V, Salgueiro C, Malvankar N. Widespread extracellular electron transfer pathways for charging microbial cytochrome OmcS nanowires via periplasmic cytochromes PpcABCDE. Nature Communications 2024, 15: 2434. PMID: 38509081, PMCID: PMC10954620, DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-46192-0.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsExtracellular electron transferExtracellular electron transfer pathwaysHeme reduction potentialEfficient extracellular electron transferInner membraneBiotechnological applicationsPeriplasmic cytochromesMicrobial nanowiresElectron transfer pathwayPpcABCDEPathwayEET pathwayCytochromePeriplasmEnvironmental processesMicrobesElectron transferBacteriaGeobacterTransfer pathwayReduction potential
2022
Microbial biofilms as living photoconductors due to ultrafast electron transfer in cytochrome OmcS nanowires
Neu J, Shipps CC, Guberman-Pfeffer MJ, Shen C, Srikanth V, Spies JA, Kirchhofer ND, Yalcin SE, Brudvig GW, Batista VS, Malvankar NS. Microbial biofilms as living photoconductors due to ultrafast electron transfer in cytochrome OmcS nanowires. Nature Communications 2022, 13: 5150. PMID: 36071037, PMCID: PMC9452534, DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-32659-5.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsUltrafast electron transferElectron transferPhotoconductive atomic force microscopyFemtosecond transient absorption spectroscopyQuantum dynamics simulationsMicrobial electron transferAtomic force microscopyTransient absorption spectroscopyValue-added chemicalsIndividual nanowiresWhole-cell catalysisPhotoconductive materialForce microscopyCarrier densityCatalytic performanceNanowiresAbsorption spectroscopyPhotoactive proteinsEfficient productionPhotoconductorsSynthetic photosensitizersDynamics simulationsGeobacter sulfurreducensBiodegradable materialsElectronic interface
2021
Making protons tag along with electrons
Guberman-Pfeffer MJ, Malvankar NS. Making protons tag along with electrons. Biochemical Journal 2021, 478: 4093-4097. PMID: 34871365, DOI: 10.1042/bcj20210592.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsExtracellular electron transferProtein engineering strategiesNanowiresBioelectronic applicationsElectron/proton transferEngineering strategiesPeriplasmic cytochromesSoil microbesBioenergetic machineryPili filamentsExtracellular acceptorsGeobacter sulfurreducensElectron transferRecent studiesHarsh environmentsOxidation of nutrientsAliphatic residuesElectron acceptorCellsOMCElectronsFermentationEnergy generationBiofuelsSulfurreducensStructure of Geobacter pili reveals secretory rather than nanowire behaviour
Gu Y, Srikanth V, Salazar-Morales AI, Jain R, O’Brien J, Yi SM, Soni RK, Samatey FA, Yalcin SE, Malvankar NS. Structure of Geobacter pili reveals secretory rather than nanowire behaviour. Nature 2021, 597: 430-434. PMID: 34471289, PMCID: PMC9127704, DOI: 10.1038/s41586-021-03857-w.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsExtracellular electron transferType 4 piliElectron transferProtein nanowiresCryo-electron microscopyNanowiresNanowire behaviorGeobacter piliC-terminal residuesTranslocation machineryAssembly architectureLoss of secretionMajor phylaGeobacter speciesPrevious structural analysisSurface appendagesGeobacter sulfurreducensAromatic side chainsPiliPilAΠ stackingWidespread effectsBioelectronicsMicroorganismsFilaments
2020
The blind men and the filament: Understanding structures and functions of microbial nanowires
Yalcin SE, Malvankar NS. The blind men and the filament: Understanding structures and functions of microbial nanowires. Current Opinion In Chemical Biology 2020, 59: 193-201. PMID: 33070100, PMCID: PMC7736336, DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpa.2020.08.004.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsMicrobial nanowiresExtracellular electron transferDifferent nanowiresNanowiresPotential applicationsCryo-electron microscopyTransport electronsMultimodal functional imagingElectron transferBioelectronicsImportant environmental processesRecent discoveryPhysiological studiesOMCApplicationsMicroscopyBiofuelsSensingPhysiological needsMicrometersCrucial roleUnderstanding structureDirect evidenceThousands of papersEnergy production
2010
Bacterial biofilms: the powerhouse of a microbial fuel cell
Franks A, Malvankar N, Nevin K. Bacterial biofilms: the powerhouse of a microbial fuel cell. Biofuels 2010, 1: 589-604. DOI: 10.4155/bfs.10.25.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchGenetic engineering studiesC-type cytochromesSpecialized biological processesDifferent bacterial speciesBiological processesSuch speciesBacterial speciesGeobacter sulfurreducensMicrobial fuel cellsBacterial biofilmsConductive biofilmsCell basisProton accumulationPure cultureSpeciesBiofilmsCellsFuel cellsElectron transferHigh current densityConsiderable distanceSulfurreducensCytochromeElectrode surfaceEngineering studies