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This is a In Vitro Study study (also classified as: Observational).

August 22, 2025Open Access

Redox conduction facilitates direct interspecies electron transport in anaerobic methanotrophic consortia

HYHang YuPeking University SXShuai XuUniversity of Southern California YJYamini JangirCalifornia Institute of Technology

Key Points

Redox conduction enables efficient electron transport between anaerobic methanotrophic archaea and sulfate-reducing bacteria, facilitating their symbiosis.
High conductance levels of diverse consortia were observed, nearing those of electrogenic biofilms, hinting at advanced electron transport solutions.
Cyclic voltammetry demonstrated specific redox activity in different consortia, providing insight into their electrochemical interactions.
These findings highlight the significance of redox conduction in microbial partnerships, potentially impacting methane mitigation strategies.

Abstract

Anaerobic methanotrophic archaea (ANME) and sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) form syntrophic partnerships in marine sediments to consume greenhouse gas methane. While direct interspecies electron transport is proposed to enable ANME/SRB symbiosis, its electrochemical properties remain uncharacterized. Here, using sediment-free enrichment cultures, we measured the electron transport capabilities of marine consortia under physiological conditions. Diverse ANME/SRB consortia exhibited high dry conductance close to electrogenic biofilms. This conductance diminished upon exposure to heat or oxygen but was preserved following paraformaldehyde fixation, indicating a biomolecular origin for this electric charge transfer. Cyclic voltammetry revealed redox activity centered at 28 ± 11, 94 ± 6, and 24 ± 7 millivolts for ANME-1/ Desulfofervidus , ANME-2a/Seep-SRB1, and ANME-2a+2c/Seep-SRB1+2 consortia, respectively. Generator-collector measurements further demonstrated that these redox components facilitate electron transport over micrometer-scale distances, sufficient to link archaeal and bacterial partners. Collectively, our results establish that marine ANME/SRB symbiosis uses redox conduction, consistent with multiheme cytochrome c , for direct interspecies electron transport.

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