Enrichment of functional redox reactive proteins and identification by mass spectrometry results in several terminal Fe(III)-reducing candidate proteins in Shewanella oneidensis MR-1

Identification of the proteins directly involved in microbial metal-reduction is important to understanding the biochemistry involved in heavy metal-reduction/immobilization and the ultimate cleanup of DOE contaminated sites. Although previous strategies for the identification of these proteins have traditionally required laborious protein purification/characterization of metal-reducing capability, activity is often lost before the final purification step, thus creating a significant knowledge gap. In the current study, subcellular fractions of Shewanella oneidensis MR-1 were enriched for Fe(III)-NTA reducing proteins in a single step using several orthogonal column matrices. The protein content of eluted fractions that demonstrated activity was determined by ultra-high pressure liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS). A comparison of the proteins identified from active fractions in all separations produced 30 proteins that may act as the terminal electron-accepting protein for Fe(III)-reduction. These include MtrA, MtrB, MtrC and OmcA as well as a number of other proteins not previously associated with Fe(III)-reduction. This is the first report of such an approach where the laborious procedures for protein purification are not required for identification of metal-reducing proteins. Such work provides the basis for a similar approach with other cultured organisms as well as analysis of sediment and groundwater samples from biostimulation efforts at contaminated sites.