Extracellular electron transfer (EET) by electroactive bacteria in anoxic soils and sediments is an intensively researched subject, but EET's function in planktonic ecology has been less considered. Following the discovery of an unexpectedly high prevalence of EET genes in a bog lake's bacterioplankton, we hypothesized that the redox capacities of dissolved organic matter (DOM) enrich for electroactive bacteria by mediating re...

Summary The thermoacidophilic Acidianus strain DS80 displays versatility in its energy metabolism and can grow autotrophically and heterotrophically with elemental sulfur (S°), ferric iron (Fe 3+ ) or oxygen (O 2 ) as electron acceptors. Here, we show that autotrophic and heterotrophic growth with S° as the electron acceptor is obligately dependent on hydrogen (H 2 ) as electron donor; organic substrates such as acetate can on...

Uterine fibroids are benign tumors of the uterus affecting up to 77% of women by menopause. They are the leading indication for hysterectomy, and account for $34 billion annually in the United States. Race/ethnicity and age are the strongest known risk factors. African American (AA) women have higher prevalence, earlier onset, and larger and more numerous fibroids than European American women. We conducted a multi-stage genome...

Summary The potential for microbially mediated anaerobic redox cycling of iron (Fe) was examined in a first‐generation enrichment culture of freshwater wetland sediment microorganisms. Most probable number enumerations revealed the presence of significant populations of Fe(III)‐reducing (approximately 10 8 cells ml −1 ) and Fe(II)‐oxidizing, nitrate‐reducing organisms (approximately 10 5 cells ml −1 ) in the freshwater sedimen...

The kinetics of microbial amorphous Fe(III) oxide reduction was investigated in sediments from a freshwater wetland in north central Alabama, USA. Fe(III) oxide concentrations decreased exponentially with time during anaerobic incubation of sediment slurries and homogenized surface sediments. Rates of organic carbon mineralization (ΣCO 2 + CH 4 accumulation) did not change markedly during the course of Fe(III) oxide reduction,...