Quorum sensing regulates electric current generation of Pseudomonas aeruginosa PA14 in bioelectrochemical systems

Here, we show that quorum sensing (QS) modulates the current generation of the anode-respiring bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa because it controls the production of phenazines, which mediate the electron transfer to the anode. The current generation by a wildtype (WT) strain P. aeruginosa PA14 and the GacS/GacA protein-regulatory mutant retS was investigated under different environmental conditions. The retS mutant generated significantly higher current (45-fold) than the WT under anaerobic conditions. Anaerobic current generation by the WT was 28-fold higher with extraneously supplied lactones (a QS-signaling molecule). Compared to anaerobic conditions, the WT with some oxygen (microaerobic conditions) exhibited enhanced phenazine production (39-fold) and current levels (48-fold). Iron-rich medium and microaerobic conditions had a negative impact on current generation by retS. All these results were directly linked to QS activity in P. aeruginosa, thus, demonstrating the importance of this bacterial communication system for current generation in BESs. We also show that BESs represent a new tool for real-time investigation of phenazine-related QS activity.