DREAM Assay for Studying Microbial Electron Transfer.

Methylene blue undergoes reduction with an accompanying colour change reaction, from blue to colourless, enabling its use as a metric for estimating reducing power. A dye reduction-based electron-transfer activity monitoring (DREAM) assay is demonstrated as a tool to study and understand the process of microbes sourcing electrons from organic substrates and transferring them to an electron acceptor. The rate at which electrons can be transferred to the thermodynamically most feasible electron acceptor directly depends on the activity of microbes. Nature of available substrate determines the quantum of electrons available. Dissolved oxygen intercepts electrons from the microbes before they can be taken up by the dye. Sodium sulfite can be used to offset the detrimental effects of the presence of dissolved oxygen. This easy-to-perform assay has been demonstrated as a proof-of-concept having potential to be extended to other practical applications.