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.

Shewanella oneidensis bacteria. (Source: Newscientist ) .

' 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 .