Our research strives to integrate both classical and modern molecular approaches to understand how bacteria influence our planet and how they can be engineered for applications in bioremediation, bioenergy and biocatalysis. 

Hsu, D., J.R. Flynn, C.J. Schuler, C.M. Santelli, B.M. Toner, D. R. Bond and J.A. Gralnick. 2024. Isolation and genomic analysis of “Metallumcola ferriviriculae” MK1, a Gram-positive, Fe(III)-reducing bacterium from the Soudan Underground Mine, an iron-rich Martian analog site. Appl. Environm. Microbiol. Jul 15:e0004424. doi: 10.1128/aem.00044-24.

Kalb, M.J., A.W. Grenfell, A. Jain, J. Fenske-Newbart and J.A. Gralnick. Comparison of phage-derived recombinases for genetic manipulation of Pseudomonas species. 2023. Microbiol. Spectr. e0317623 doi: 10.1128/spectrum.03176-23. 

Gralnick, J.A., and D.R. Bond. Electron transfer beyond the outer membrane: putting electrons to rest. 2023. Ann. Rev. Microbiol. 77:517-539. doi: 10.1146/annurev-mirco-032221-023725. 

Grenfell, A.W., P.J. Intile, J.A. McFarlane, D.C. Leung, K. Abdalla, M.C. Wold, E.D. Kees and J.A. Gralnick. The outer membrane cytochrome OmcA is essential for infection of Shewanella oneidensis by a zebrafish-associated bacteriophage. 2023. J. Bacteriol. 205(6):e0046922. doi: 10.1128/jb.00469-22. 

Jain, A., A. Coelho, J. Madjarov, C.M. Paquete, and J.A. Gralnick. Evidence for quinol oxidation activity of ImoA, a novel NapC/NirT family protein from the neutrophilic Fe(II)-oxidizing bacterium Sideroxydans lithotrophicus ES-1. mBio. 2022 Oct 26;13(5):e0215022. doi: 10.1128/mbio.02150-22.

Jain, A., M.J. Kalb and J.A. Gralnick. Reconstructing electron transfer components from an Fe(II) oxidizing bacterium. Microbiol. 2022 Sep;168(9). doi: 10.1099/mic.0.001240. 

Baker, I.R., B.E. Conley, J.A. Gralnick and P.R. Girguis. 2022. Evidence for horizontal and vertical transmission of Mtr-mediated extracellular electron transfer among the Bacteria. mBio. 13(1):e0290421. doi: 10.1128/mbio.02904-21.

Bird, L.J., L. Su, B.B. Kundu, A.D. Corts, J.A. Gralnick, C.M. Ajo-Franklin and S.M. Glaven. 2021. Engineering Wired Life: Synthetic biology for electroactive bacteria. ACS SynBio. 10(11):2808-2823. doi: 10.1021/acssynbio.1c00335. (Review) 

Jain, A., B.M. Bonis and J.A. Gralnick. 2021. Oligo-heterotrophic activity of Marinobacter subterrani creates an indirect Fe(II)-oxidation phenotype in gradient tubes. Appl Environ Microbiol. 87(24):e0136721. doi: 10.1128/AEM.01367-21.

Kane, A.L., R.E. Szabo and J.A. Gralnick. 2021. Engineering cooperation in an anaerobic co-culture. Appl Environ Microbiol. 87(11):e02852-20. doi: 11.1128/AEM.02852-20.

Bennett B.D., K.E. Redford and J.A. Gralnick. 2018. Survival of anaerobic Fe2+ stress requires the ClpXP protease. J Bacteriol. 200(8):e00671-17 doi: 10.1128/JB.00671-17. 

Bennett, B.D., K.E. Redford and J.A. Gralnick. 2018. The MgtE homolog FicI acts as a secondary ferrous iron importer in Shewanella oneidensis strain MR-1. Appl Environ Microbiol. 84(6):e01245-17 doi: 10.1128/AEM0.1245-17. 

Rowe, A.R., P. Rajeev, A. Jain, S. Pirbadian, A. Okamoto, J.A. Gralnick, M.Y. El-Naggar and K.H. Nealson. 2018. Tracking electron uptake from a cathode into Shewanella cells: implications for energy acquisition from solid-substrate electron donors. 9(1):e02203-17. doi: 10.1128/mBio.02203-17 

West, E.A., A. Jain and J.A. Gralnick. 2017. Engineering a native inducible expression system in Shewanella oneidensis to control extracellular electron transfer. ACS Synth Biol. doi: 10.1021/acssynbio.6b00349 

Bursac, T., J.A. Gralnick and J. Gescher. 2017. Acetoin production via unbalanced fermentation in Shewanella oneidensis. Biotechnol Bioeng. 114(6):1283-1289. doi: 10.1002/bit.26243 

Badalamenti, J.P., Z.M. Summers, C.H. Chan, J.A. Gralnick and D.R. Bond. 2016. Isolation and genomic characterization of ‘Desulfuromonas soudanensis WTL’, a metal- and electrode-respiring bacterium from anoxic deep subsurface brine. Front Microbiol. 7:913. doi:10.3389/fmicb.2016.00913

Education

• Ph.D., Bacteriology - University of Wisconsin, Madison (2003) 
• Postdoc, Geomicrobiology - California Institute of Technology (2005) 
• Visiting Professor, Geology & Planetary Sciences, California Institute of Technology (2015)