MTRoute · Guiding electron transfer at the microbe-electrode interface: the role of MtrCAB

Rising population and living standards have caused pollution, water scarcity, and resource shortages. To mitigate these issues and adopt sustainable development methods, we need innovative environmental technology. Bioelectrochemical systems (BES) are a rapidly growing and versatile technology that exploits the ability of electroactive microbes to conduct electron transfer between electrodes to oxidise or reduce substrates, such as organics present in wastewater, opening up a wide range of applications for wastewater treatment, nutrient recovery, and bioenergy production. The rate at which electron transfer occurs is the key process behind the development of BES and is one of the defining factors of the implementation of BES on a large scale. Recent research has revealed that the porin-cytochrome complex MtrCAB, which is responsible for electron transport across the outer membrane, is found in a wide variety of microbes, including several electroactive bacteria that participate in BES, demonstrating the potential significance of MtrCAB for extracellular electron transfer. MTRoute is aimed to provide information on the performance of MtrCAB from diverse bacteria in electron transfer, as well as identify the molecular mechanisms and factors that can enhance electron transfer rates. Synthetic biology tools will be used to incorporate these insights to the extensively studied electroactive microbe Shewanella oneidensis MR-1 to push forward the practical implementation of BES. Towards this aim, MTRoute will rely on a multidisciplinary research project that will based on the ER's expertise in bioreactor application, the host team expertise on evaluating electron transfer processes of multiheme cytochromes, and on the secondments' supervisor expertise in genetically modify electroactive microbes. The success of MTRoute will contribute to tackle several UN sustainable goals and build a bio-based economy, one of the strategic priorities set by the new Europe 2030 program.