Bacterial Bacteria

For the first time, a study identifies the exact molecular structure of the proteins in the bacteria that make them capable of transmitting electricity.

This finding suggests that scientists are now beginning to develop a method of connecting bacteria with electrodes to create 'bio batteries'. This progress will also promote the development of microbial substances to clean up spilled or uranium contaminated areas.

Picture 1 of Bacterial Bacteria
Shewanella oneidensis bacteria. (Source: Newscientist )
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' Identifying the exact molecular structure of these related proteins is an important step in the process of turning bacteria into a source of electricity in the future. ' Said Tom Clarke of the UAE Biology Department, a member of the team.

In a study published in 2009, the team found a bacterial mechanism that could live in an oxygenated environment by establishing electrical pathways through the cell wall and exposure to a mineral-process This is called iron respiration.

In their latest experiment, scientists use X-ray crystallography to determine the molecular structure of proteins on the surface of the Shewanella oneidensis bacterium .

The project is funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council and the US Department of Energy .