Shewanella oneidensis MR-1 mutants selected for their inability to produce soluble organic-Fe(III) complexes are unable to respire Fe(III) as anaerobic electron acceptor.

Recent voltammetric analyses indicate that Shewanella putrefaciens strain 200 produces soluble organic-Fe(III) complexes during anaerobic respiration of sparingly soluble Fe(III) oxides. Results of the present study expand the range of Shewanella species capable of producing soluble organic-Fe(III) complexes to include Shewanella oneidensis MR-1. Soluble organic-Fe(III) was produced by S. oneidensis cultures incubated anaerobically with Fe(III) oxides, or with Fe(III) oxides and the alternate electron acceptor fumarate, but not in the presence of O(2), nitrate or trimethylamine-N-oxide. Chemical mutagenesis procedures were combined with a novel MicroElectrode Screening Array (MESA) to identify four (designated Sol) mutants with impaired ability to produce soluble organic-Fe(III) during anaerobic respiration of Fe(III) oxides. Two of the Sol mutants were deficient in anaerobic growth on both soluble Fe(III)-citrate and Fe(III) oxide, yet retained the ability to grow on a suite of seven alternate electron acceptors. The rates of soluble organic-Fe(III) production were proportional to the rates of iron reduction by the S. oneidensis wild-type and Sol mutant strains, and all four Sol mutants retained wild-type siderophore production capability. Results of this study indicate that the production of soluble organic-Fe(III) may be an important intermediate step in the anaerobic respiration of both soluble and sparingly soluble forms of Fe(III) by S. oneidensis.