Comparison of cable bacteria genera reveals details of their conduction machinery

Leonid Digel; Mads L. Justesen; Nikoline S. Madsen; Nico Fransaert; Koen Wouters; Robin Bonné; Lea E. Plum-Jensen; Ian P.G. Marshall; Pia B. Jensen; Louison Nicolas-Asselineau; Taner Drace; Andreas Bøggild; John L. Hansen; Andreas Schramm; Espen D. Bøjesen; Lars Peter Nielsen; Jean V. Manca; Thomas Boesen

doi:10.1038/s44319-025-00387-8

Comparison of cable bacteria genera reveals details of their conduction machinery

Leonid Digel, Mads L. Justesen, Nikoline S. Madsen, Nico Fransaert, Koen Wouters, Robin Bonné, Lea E. Plum-Jensen, Ian P.G. Marshall, Pia B. Jensen, Louison Nicolas-Asselineau, Taner Drace, Andreas Bøggild, John L. Hansen, Andreas Schramm, Espen D. Bøjesen, Lars Peter Nielsen, Jean V. Manca, Thomas Boesen^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal/Conference contribution in journal/Contribution to newspaper › Journal article › Research › peer-review

Abstract

Cable bacteria are centimeter-long multicellular bacteria conducting electricity through periplasmic conductive fibers (PCFs). Using single-strain enrichments of the genera Electrothrix and Electronema we systematically investigate variations and similarities in morphology and electrical properties across both genera. Electrical conductivity of different PCFs spans three orders of magnitude warranting further investigations of the plasticity of their conduction machinery. Using electron microscopy and elemental analyses, we show that the two cable bacteria genera have similar cell envelopes and cell–cell junction ultrastructures. Iron, sulfur, and nickel signals are co-localized with the PCFs, indicating key functional roles of these elements. The PCFs are organized as stranded rope-like structures composed of multiple strands. Furthermore, we report lamellae-like structures formed at the cell–cell junctions with a core layer connecting to the PCFs, and intriguing vesicle-like inner membrane invaginations below the PCFs. Finally, using bioinformatic tools, we identify a cytochrome family with predicted structural homology to known multi-heme nanowire proteins from other electroactive microorganisms and suggest that these cytochromes can play a role in the extra- or intercellular electron conduction of cable bacteria.

Original language	English
Article number	13699
Journal	EMBO Reports
ISSN	1469-221X
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/s44319-025-00387-8
Publication status	E-pub / Early view - 17 Feb 2025

Keywords

Cable Bacteria
Cytochrome
Electron Conduction
Electron Microscopy
Electron Transfer

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Digel, L., Justesen, M. L., Madsen, N. S., Fransaert, N., Wouters, K., Bonné, R., Plum-Jensen, L. E., Marshall, I. P. G., Jensen, P. B., Nicolas-Asselineau, L., Drace, T., Bøggild, A., Hansen, J. L., Schramm, A., Bøjesen, E. D., Nielsen, L. P., Manca, J. V., & Boesen, T. (2025). Comparison of cable bacteria genera reveals details of their conduction machinery. EMBO Reports, Article 13699. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1038/s44319-025-00387-8

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title = "Comparison of cable bacteria genera reveals details of their conduction machinery",

abstract = "Cable bacteria are centimeter-long multicellular bacteria conducting electricity through periplasmic conductive fibers (PCFs). Using single-strain enrichments of the genera Electrothrix and Electronema we systematically investigate variations and similarities in morphology and electrical properties across both genera. Electrical conductivity of different PCFs spans three orders of magnitude warranting further investigations of the plasticity of their conduction machinery. Using electron microscopy and elemental analyses, we show that the two cable bacteria genera have similar cell envelopes and cell–cell junction ultrastructures. Iron, sulfur, and nickel signals are co-localized with the PCFs, indicating key functional roles of these elements. The PCFs are organized as stranded rope-like structures composed of multiple strands. Furthermore, we report lamellae-like structures formed at the cell–cell junctions with a core layer connecting to the PCFs, and intriguing vesicle-like inner membrane invaginations below the PCFs. Finally, using bioinformatic tools, we identify a cytochrome family with predicted structural homology to known multi-heme nanowire proteins from other electroactive microorganisms and suggest that these cytochromes can play a role in the extra- or intercellular electron conduction of cable bacteria.",

keywords = "Cable Bacteria, Cytochrome, Electron Conduction, Electron Microscopy, Electron Transfer",

author = "Leonid Digel and Justesen, {Mads L.} and Madsen, {Nikoline S.} and Nico Fransaert and Koen Wouters and Robin Bonn{\'e} and Plum-Jensen, {Lea E.} and Marshall, {Ian P.G.} and Jensen, {Pia B.} and Louison Nicolas-Asselineau and Taner Drace and Andreas B{\o}ggild and Hansen, {John L.} and Andreas Schramm and B{\o}jesen, {Espen D.} and Nielsen, {Lars Peter} and Manca, {Jean V.} and Thomas Boesen",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} The Author(s) 2025.",

year = "2025",

month = feb,

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doi = "10.1038/s44319-025-00387-8",

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Digel, L, Justesen, ML , Madsen, NS, Fransaert, N, Wouters, K, Bonné, R, Plum-Jensen, LE , Marshall, IPG , Jensen, PB, Nicolas-Asselineau, L, Drace, T , Bøggild, A, Hansen, JL, Schramm, A , Bøjesen, ED , Nielsen, LP, Manca, JV & Boesen, T 2025, 'Comparison of cable bacteria genera reveals details of their conduction machinery', EMBO Reports. https://doi.org/10.1038/s44319-025-00387-8

TY - JOUR

T1 - Comparison of cable bacteria genera reveals details of their conduction machinery

AU - Digel, Leonid

AU - Justesen, Mads L.

AU - Madsen, Nikoline S.

AU - Fransaert, Nico

AU - Wouters, Koen

AU - Bonné, Robin

AU - Plum-Jensen, Lea E.

AU - Marshall, Ian P.G.

AU - Jensen, Pia B.

AU - Nicolas-Asselineau, Louison

AU - Drace, Taner

AU - Bøggild, Andreas

AU - Hansen, John L.

AU - Schramm, Andreas

AU - Bøjesen, Espen D.

AU - Nielsen, Lars Peter

AU - Manca, Jean V.

AU - Boesen, Thomas

PY - 2025/2/17

Y1 - 2025/2/17

N2 - Cable bacteria are centimeter-long multicellular bacteria conducting electricity through periplasmic conductive fibers (PCFs). Using single-strain enrichments of the genera Electrothrix and Electronema we systematically investigate variations and similarities in morphology and electrical properties across both genera. Electrical conductivity of different PCFs spans three orders of magnitude warranting further investigations of the plasticity of their conduction machinery. Using electron microscopy and elemental analyses, we show that the two cable bacteria genera have similar cell envelopes and cell–cell junction ultrastructures. Iron, sulfur, and nickel signals are co-localized with the PCFs, indicating key functional roles of these elements. The PCFs are organized as stranded rope-like structures composed of multiple strands. Furthermore, we report lamellae-like structures formed at the cell–cell junctions with a core layer connecting to the PCFs, and intriguing vesicle-like inner membrane invaginations below the PCFs. Finally, using bioinformatic tools, we identify a cytochrome family with predicted structural homology to known multi-heme nanowire proteins from other electroactive microorganisms and suggest that these cytochromes can play a role in the extra- or intercellular electron conduction of cable bacteria.

AB - Cable bacteria are centimeter-long multicellular bacteria conducting electricity through periplasmic conductive fibers (PCFs). Using single-strain enrichments of the genera Electrothrix and Electronema we systematically investigate variations and similarities in morphology and electrical properties across both genera. Electrical conductivity of different PCFs spans three orders of magnitude warranting further investigations of the plasticity of their conduction machinery. Using electron microscopy and elemental analyses, we show that the two cable bacteria genera have similar cell envelopes and cell–cell junction ultrastructures. Iron, sulfur, and nickel signals are co-localized with the PCFs, indicating key functional roles of these elements. The PCFs are organized as stranded rope-like structures composed of multiple strands. Furthermore, we report lamellae-like structures formed at the cell–cell junctions with a core layer connecting to the PCFs, and intriguing vesicle-like inner membrane invaginations below the PCFs. Finally, using bioinformatic tools, we identify a cytochrome family with predicted structural homology to known multi-heme nanowire proteins from other electroactive microorganisms and suggest that these cytochromes can play a role in the extra- or intercellular electron conduction of cable bacteria.

KW - Cable Bacteria

KW - Cytochrome

KW - Electron Conduction

KW - Electron Microscopy

KW - Electron Transfer

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85218198060&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1038/s44319-025-00387-8

DO - 10.1038/s44319-025-00387-8

M3 - Journal article

AN - SCOPUS:85218198060

SN - 1469-221X

JO - EMBO Reports

JF - EMBO Reports

M1 - 13699

ER -

Comparison of cable bacteria genera reveals details of their conduction machinery

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Keywords

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