Detection of a conserved multi-heme cytochrome gene cluster in severely corrosive sulfate-reducing biofilms

Comparative metagenomic analysis of corrosive and non-corrosive sulfate-reducing biofilms showed that metagenome-assembled genomes of sulfate-reducing bacteria obtained from corrosive biofilms showed presence of a unique multiheme cytochrome gene cluster. Using qPCR assays to target one of the c-type cytochromes showed that those clusters are present in several global oil and gas operations underpinning the significance of this potential corrosion mechanisms.