Microbiological studies of the round goby (<i>Neogobius melanostomus</i>) from the Puck Bay, southern Baltic Sea

In summer 2017 numerous dead round gobies (Neogobius melanostomus) and individuals covered with white coating were observed in the Puck Bay. The aim of our research was to determine the microbiological composition of the round goby from the Puck Bay, focusing on the presence of pathogens. Bacteria were identified by biochemical methods and, by sequencing of 16S rRNA. The dominant bacterial species were Shewanella baltica, Pseudomonas spp. and Aeromonas spp. - opportunistic pathogens, commonly present in many fish species, which may become harmful for the organism in unfavorable conditions. It was the first trial to determine the composition of the bacterial flora of N. melanostomus from that area

Bacterial Power: An Alternative Energy Source

The demand for energy and the limited supply of fossil fuels and their impact in the environment have required the development of alternative energy sources. Among the next generation of energy sources, microbial fuel cells (MFCs) have emerged as a promising technology due to their ability to recover energy from wastewaters in the form of electricity using electroactive microorganisms as catalysts. Among the various factors that affect power generation performance in MFCs, the efficiency of extracellular electron transfer (EET) is one of the most important. Several enzymes, specifically multiheme cytochromes, have been implicated in this process although the electron transfer chain organization remains to be fully understood. In this chapter, we review in detail the mechanisms that support EET from electroactive microorganisms to the anode in MFCs. We focus on the model organism Shewanella oneidensis MR-1, due to the existence of an extensive molecular characterization of its EET processes. The recent developments in the characterization of the multiheme cytochromes involved in these mechanisms will also be reviewed.authorsversionpublishe