Electrotroph

Last updated October 15, 2025

An electrotroph is a microorganism which can receive electrons necessary for its growth from an electrode (power supply) terminal or other electron donors.^[1]

The chemolithoautotrophic bacterium Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans , that lives in ocean thermal vents, has been shown to exhibit electrotrophic behavior in experiments.^[2] In particular, it switches the electron source for carbon assimilation from diffusible Fe²⁺
ions to an electrode under the condition that electrical current is the only source of energy and electrons.^[3]

References

↑ Lovley, Derek R. (February 2022). "Electrotrophy: Other microbial species, iron, and electrodes as electron donors for microbial respirations". Bioresource Technology. 345 126553. Bibcode:2022BiTec.34526553L. doi:10.1016/j.biortech.2021.126553. PMID 34906705.
↑ Yamanaka, Tateo (2008). "Oxidation and Reduction of Iron by Bacteria". Chemolithoautotrophic Bacteria. pp. 79–102. doi:10.1007/978-4-431-78541-5_5. ISBN 978-4-431-78540-8.
↑ Ishii, Takumi; Kawaichi, Satoshi; Nakagawa, Hirotaka; Hashimoto, Kazuhito; Nakamura, Ryuhei (25 September 2015). "From chemolithoautotrophs to electrolithoautotrophs: CO2 fixation by Fe(II)-oxidizing bacteria coupled with direct uptake of electrons from solid electron sources". Frontiers in Microbiology. 6: 994. doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2015.00994 . PMC 4593280 . PMID 26500609.

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[1] Lovley, Derek R. (February 2022). "Electrotrophy: Other microbial species, iron, and electrodes as electron donors for microbial respirations". Bioresource Technology. 345 126553. Bibcode:2022BiTec.34526553L. doi:10.1016/j.biortech.2021.126553. PMID 34906705.

[2] Yamanaka, Tateo (2008). "Oxidation and Reduction of Iron by Bacteria". Chemolithoautotrophic Bacteria. pp. 79–102. doi:10.1007/978-4-431-78541-5_5. ISBN 978-4-431-78540-8.

[3] Ishii, Takumi; Kawaichi, Satoshi; Nakagawa, Hirotaka; Hashimoto, Kazuhito; Nakamura, Ryuhei (25 September 2015). "From chemolithoautotrophs to electrolithoautotrophs: CO2 fixation by Fe(II)-oxidizing bacteria coupled with direct uptake of electrons from solid electron sources". Frontiers in Microbiology. 6: 994. doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2015.00994 . PMC 4593280 . PMID 26500609.

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