Extracellular electron transfer by Microcystis aeruginosa is solely driven by high pH

Abstract Extracellular electron transfer (EET) by the cyanobacterium Microcystis aeruginosa was investigated. Observations indicate that EET onto an electrode poised at + 0.6 vs. standard hydrogen electrode (SHE) is triggered by high pH, more evidently at pH levels above 9. Light intensity does not appear to affect electricity generation, indicating that this may not be a “biophotovoltaic” process. The generated current density was amplified with stepwise pH increases from approximately 5 mA m−2 at pH 7.8 to 30 mA m−2 at pH 10.5, for dense (0.4 mg mL−1 dry weight) Microcystis aeruginosa suspensions with dissolved CO2 and O2 approaching equilibrium with atmospheric concentrations. The upsurge in current density was more pronounced (from 5 mA m−2 at pH 7.8 to 40 mA m−2 at pH 10.2) in the absence of the cells’ natural electron acceptors, dissolved CO2 and O2. However, the latter effect is more likely due to competition for electrons by oxygen than to reductive stress. EET in this species is therefore a light-independent process that is enhanced by increasing pH, with reasons that are still unknown, but either related to the involvement of protons in the last step of electron transfer, or to intracellular pH control.