[3] Desulfobulbus propionicus has the potential to produce free energy (in the form of electrons) and chemical products.
[2] All three strains were isolated using the agar shake dilution method on a basal medium with added sulfate, mineral salts, iron, trace elements, bicarbonate, sulfide, and seven vitamins.
[2] Similarly, all three strains are Gram-negative, sulfur-reducers with the ability to grow exclusively on lactate or pyruvate without any external electron or carbon sources.
[1] In the absence of an electron acceptor, D. propionicus produces sulfate and sulfide from elemental sulfur and water.
[1] It was sequenced in 2011 by Pagani et al.[1] Strain 1pr3T was found to encompass a genome size of 3,851,869 bp, with a G-C content of 58.93%.
[4] Microbial electrosynthesis is the usage of electrons by microorganism to reduce carbon dioxide to organic molecules.
[4] Desulfobulbus propionicus, when present at the anode, oxidizes elemental sulfur to sulfate, which creates free electrons in the process.
[4] The microbe present at the cathode utilizes the electron energy transferred from Desulfobulbus propionicus to create organic matter (e.g. acetate) by reducing carbon dioxide.