Comparing Capabilities of Shewanella oneidensis MR-1 and the Microbial Community of Iron Caves to Reduce Fe(III)

Caves are generally formed by the erosion and/or dissolution of rock and its subsequent removal by water. Iron ore caves (IOCs) form despite being hosted by relatively insoluble and weathering-resistant rock. Due to the discovery of a microbial community behind the walls of these caves, it was hypothesized that these bacteria could be responsible for speleogenesis. Iron ore exists in an oxidized (Fe(III)) state, but reduced (Fe(II)) form is soluble. It was further reasoned that the bacteria might be able to reduce Fe(III) through direct metabolic activity, which uses iron as an electron acceptor. Here we show that cave microorganisms appear to reduce Fe(III) to a greater degree than a known iron reducer, Shewanella oneidensis MR-1. The results demonstrate that cave formation could be due to microbial activity which provides an additional model for cave formation