S149: Domesticating Geobacter to perform electrosynthesis by stimulating the electron-accepting capacity

One of the main challenges in bioelectrosynthesis is the capacity fo bacteria for accepting electrons from a conductive material. The possibility that direct electron transfer from electrodes to microbes could drive microbial respiration was first noted in Geobacter species that have the capacity to reduce a number of electron acceptor with an electrode as a sole electron donor. In contrast with the current-producing ability of Geobacter, very little is known about the electron transfer process behind this current-consuming capacity. Genetic and electrochemical analysis suggest that different cytochrome C players are resposible of  either producing- or accepting electrons in this model microorganism. Interestingly, the recent finding of CO2-reducing capacities of Geobacter under electrogenic conditions opens a new scenario where a deep analyis of the mechanism for receiving electrons is required.