Optimal method for efficiently removing extracellular nanofilaments from Shewanella oneidensis MR-1

The identification, production, and potential electron conductivity of bacterial extracellular nanofilaments is an area of great study, specifically in Shewanella oneidensis MR-1. While some studies focus on nanofilaments attached to the cellular body, many studies require the removal of these nanofilaments for downstream applications. The removal of nanofilaments from S. oneidensis MR-1 for further study requires not only that the nanofilaments be detached, but also for the cell bodies to remain intact. This is a study to both qualitatively (AFM) and quantitatively (LC/MS-MS) assess several nanofilament shearing methods and determine the optimal procedure. The best method for nanofilament removal, as judged by maximizing extracellular filamentous proteins and minimizing membrane and intracellular proteins, is vortexing a washed cell culture for 10 min.