Extracellular electron transfer increases fermentation in lactic acid bacteria via a hybrid metabolism
Year: 2021
Type: article
Abstract: ABSTRACT Energy conservation in microorganisms is classically categorized into respiration and fermentation, however recent work shows some species can use mixed or alternative bioenergetic strategies. We explored the utility of a flavin-based extracellular electron transport (FLEET) system for energy conservation within diverse lactic acid bacteria (LAB), microorganisms that mainly rely on fermentative metabolism and are important in food fermentations. The LAB Lactiplantibacillus plantarum uses extracellular electron transfer to increase its NAD + /NADH ratio, generate more ATP through substrate-level phosphorylation and accumulate biomass more rapidly. This novel, hybrid metabolism was dependent on a type-II NADH dehydrogenase (Ndh2) and conditionally required a flavin-binding extracellular lipoprotein (PplA) in the FLEET system to confer increased fermentation yield, metabolic flux, and environmental acidification in both laboratory media and food fermentation. The discovery of a single pathway that blends features of fermentation and respiration expands our knowledge of energy conservation metabolism and provides immediate biotechnology applications.
Source: eLife
DOI: 10.7554/elife.70684
Authors: Sara Tejedor-Sanz, Eric T Stevens, Siliang Li, Peter Finnegan, James Nelson, Andre Knoesen, Samuel H Light, Caroline M Ajo-Franklin, Maria L Marco
Language: English
Subfield: Environmental Engineering
Field: Environmental Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $2,500
Awards: G1117004060, G1286236842, G1286251239, G1414775356, G1445641779, G1816284028, G1863003419, G2618837358, G30714459, G3083819904, G3465644181, G3576385251, G365575497, G419881185, G42916606, G4501827968, G498139845, Recruitment of Established Investigators, G5261056217, Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP), G5849692847, G650090426, G6652958823, G805243471, G969889393
OpenAlex ID: W4225498511