Using planktonic microorganisms to supply the unpurified multi-copper oxidases laccase and copper efflux oxidases at a biofuel cell cathode

Sabine Sané; Katrin Richter; Stefanie Rubenwolf; Nina Joan Matschke; Claude Jolivalt; Catherine Madzak; Roland Zengerle; Johannes Gescher; Sven Kerzenmacher

doi:10.1016/j.biortech.2014.02.038

Using planktonic microorganisms to supply the unpurified multi-copper oxidases laccase and copper efflux oxidases at a biofuel cell cathode

Bioresour Technol. 2014 Apr:158:231-8. doi: 10.1016/j.biortech.2014.02.038. Epub 2014 Feb 17.

Authors

Sabine Sané¹, Katrin Richter², Stefanie Rubenwolf³, Nina Joan Matschke³, Claude Jolivalt⁴, Catherine Madzak⁵, Roland Zengerle⁶, Johannes Gescher⁷, Sven Kerzenmacher⁸

Affiliations

¹ Laboratory for MEMS Applications, IMTEK - Department of Microsystems Engineering, University of Freiburg, Georges-Koehler-Allee 103, 79110 Freiburg, Germany. Electronic address: sabine.sane@imtek.uni-freiburg.de.
² Institute for Applied Biosciences, Department of Applied Biology, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Fritz-Haber-Weg 2, 76131 Karlsruhe, Germany. Electronic address: katrin.richter@kit.edu.
³ Laboratory for MEMS Applications, IMTEK - Department of Microsystems Engineering, University of Freiburg, Georges-Koehler-Allee 103, 79110 Freiburg, Germany.
⁴ Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Univ Paris 06, UMR 7197 Laboratoire de Réactivité de surface, F-75005 Paris, France; CNRS, UMR 7197 Laboratoire de Réactivité de surface, F-75005 Paris, France. Electronic address: claude.jolivalt@upmc.fr.
⁵ INRA, UMR 1319 Micalis, Domaine de Vilvert, F-78352 Jouy-en-Josas, France. Electronic address: Catherine.Madzak@grignon.inra.fr.
⁶ Laboratory for MEMS Applications, IMTEK - Department of Microsystems Engineering, University of Freiburg, Georges-Koehler-Allee 103, 79110 Freiburg, Germany; BIOSS - Centre for Biological Signalling Studies, University of Freiburg, 79110 Freiburg, Germany. Electronic address: zengerle@imtek.uni-freiburg.de.
⁷ Institute for Applied Biosciences, Department of Applied Biology, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Fritz-Haber-Weg 2, 76131 Karlsruhe, Germany. Electronic address: johannes.gescher@kit.edu.
⁸ Laboratory for MEMS Applications, IMTEK - Department of Microsystems Engineering, University of Freiburg, Georges-Koehler-Allee 103, 79110 Freiburg, Germany. Electronic address: kerzenma@imtek.uni-freiburg.de.

PMID: 24607459
DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2014.02.038

Abstract

The feasibility to apply crude culture supernatants that contain the multicopper oxidases laccase or copper efflux oxidase (CueO) as oxygen reducing catalysts in a biofuel cell cathode is shown. As enzyme-secreting recombinant planktonic microorganisms, the yeast Yarrowia lipolytica and the bacterium Escherichia coli were investigated. The cultivation and operation conditions (choice of medium, pH) had distinct effects on the electro-catalytic performance. The highest current density of 119 ± 23 μA cm(-2) at 0.400 V vs. NHE was obtained with the crude culture supernatant of E. coli cells overexpressing CueO and tested at pH 5.0. In comparison, at pH 7.4 the electrode potential at 100 μA cm(-2) is 0.25 V lower. Laccase-containing supernatants of Y. lipolytica yielded a maximum current density of 6.7 ± 0.4 μAcm(-2) at 0.644 V vs. NHE. These results open future possibilities to circumvent elaborate enzyme purification procedures and realize cost effective and easy-to-operate enzymatic biofuel cells.

Keywords: Bioelectrochemistry; Biofuel cell; Cathode; Copper efflux oxidase; Laccase.

Publication types

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

MeSH terms

Base Sequence
Bioelectric Energy Sources*
DNA Primers
Electrodes*
Escherichia coli / metabolism
Oxidoreductases / metabolism*
Plankton / metabolism*
Yarrowia / metabolism

Substances

DNA Primers
Oxidoreductases
copper oxidase