Understanding the mechanisms and functions of exoelectrogenesis in photosynthetic bacteria

博士项目战略主题：可再生资源和清洁生长的生物科学光合细菌能够进行光驱动的细胞外电子转移，称为外生电。在过去的十年中，这一过程已被成功地用于所谓的生物光伏设备（bpv）的生物发电。然而，这一机制背后的生化途径和生理功能在很大程度上仍然未知。结合生物电化学、合成生物学和生物物理学方法，该项目旨在分析电子如何在细胞膜外转移，以及这些细胞外电子在单细胞和光合微生物群落水平上的作用。实验将进行，以调查作为“安全阀”机制的潜在作用，释放多余的激发能（例如在强光和高温胁迫条件下）从单细胞和可能出现的新功能（如细胞间通信），当不同的外生电细胞共存/竞争在微生物群落中出现。

PhD project strategic theme: Biosciences for renewable resources and clean growthPhotosynthetic bacteria are able to perform light-driven extracellular electron transfer, referred to as exoelectrogenesis. In the last decade, this process has been successfully exploited for bioelectricity generation in so-called biophotovoltaic devices (BPVs). However, the biochemical pathways and physiological functions that underlie this mechanism remain largely unknown.Using a combination of bioelectrochemistry, synthetic biology and biophysical approaches, this project aims to analyse how electrons are transferred outside of the cells membranes and what is the role of these extracellular electrons, at both a single-cell and photosynthetic microbial community level. Experiments will be performed to investigate the potential role of exoelectrogenesis as a "relief valve" mechanisms to release excess excitation energy (e.g. in conditions of high light and temperature stress) from single-cells and the possible emerging functions (e.g. intercellular communication) that arise when different exoelectrogenic cells coexist/compete within microbial communities.