Phototrophic Fe(II) oxidation benefits from light/dark cycles

Abstract

Phototrophic Fe(II)‐oxidizers use Fe(II) as electron donor for CO2 fixation thus linking Fe(II) oxidation, ATP formation, and growth directly to the availability of sunlight. We compared the effect of short (10 h light/14 h dark) and long (2–3 days light/2–3 days dark) light/dark cycles to constant light conditions for the phototrophic Fe(II)‐oxidizer Chlorobium ferrooxidans KoFox. Fe(II) oxidation was completed first in the setup with constant light (9 mM Fe(II) oxidised within 8.9 days) compared to the light/dark cycles but both short and long light/dark cycles showed faster maximum Fe(II) oxidation rates. In the short and long cycle, Fe(II) oxidation rates reached 3.5 ± 1.0 and 2.6 ± 0.3 mM/d, respectively, compared to 2.1 ± 0.3 mM/d in the constant light setup. Maximum Fe(II) oxidation was significantly faster in the short cycle compared to the constant light setup. Cell growth reached roughly equivalent cell numbers across all three light conditions (from 0.2–2.0 × 106 cells/mL to 1.1–1.4 × 108 cells/mL) and took place in both the light and dark phases of incubation. SEM images showed different mineral structures independent of the light setup and 57Fe Mössbauer spectroscopy confirmed the formation of poorly crystalline Fe(III) oxyhydroxides (such as ferrihydrite) in all three setups. Our results suggest that periods of darkness have a significant impact on phototrophic Fe(II)‐oxidizers and significantly influence rates of Fe(II) oxidation.