Electrochemical communication between microbial cells and electrodes via osmium redox systems

Biochem Soc Trans. 2012 Dec 1;40(6):1330-5. doi: 10.1042/BST20120120.

Abstract

Electrochemical communication between micro-organisms and electrodes is the integral and fundamental part of BESs (bioelectrochemical systems). The immobilization of bacterial cells on the electrode and ensuring efficient electron transfer to the electrode via a mediator are decisive features of mediated electrochemical biosensors. Notably, mediator-based systems are essential to extract electrons from the non-exoelectrogens, a major group of microbes in Nature. The advantage of using polymeric mediators over diffusible mediators led to the design of osmium redox polymers. Their successful use in enzyme-based biosensors and BFCs (biofuel cells) paved the way for exploring their use in microbial BESs. The present mini-review focuses on osmium-bound redox systems used to date in microbial BESs and their role in shuttling electrons from viable microbial cells to electrodes.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins / metabolism
  • Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins / physiology
  • Bioelectric Energy Sources
  • Biofilms
  • Cytochromes / metabolism
  • Cytochromes / physiology
  • Electrodes
  • Electron Transport
  • Osmium / chemistry
  • Osmium / metabolism*
  • Oxidation-Reduction
  • Proteobacteria / metabolism
  • Proteobacteria / physiology*

Substances

  • Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins
  • Cytochromes
  • Osmium