Design and Application of Two Rapid Screening Techniques for Isolation of Mn(IV) Reduction-Deficient Mutants of Shewanella putrefaciens

Chemical mutagenesis procedures and two newly developed rapid plate assays were used to identify two Mn(IV) reduction-deficient (Mnr) mutants of Shewanella putrefaciens. All eleven members of a set of previously isolated Fe(III) reduction-deficient (Fer) mutants displayed Mnr-positive phenotypes on the plate assays and were also capable of anaerobic growth on Mn(IV) as the sole terminal electron acceptor.