Breakthrough invention that produces electricity from E. coli bacteria

Besides its value in many industries, electricity production from E. coli bacteria also contributes to the treatment of organic waste - which is a headache in many countries around the world.

Since 1911, when British mycologist Michael Potter discovered that brewer's yeast could generate electricity, scientists have tried to harness the power of microbial fuel cells.

The shape of E. coli bacteria is rod-shaped when viewed through a microscope. (Photo: Getty).

But the performance of "bioreactors" is too small to be used in practice. Furthermore, bacteria are relatively picky about the substrates they use to generate electricity.

Now, a team of researchers from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (EPFL) has successfully genetically engineered one of the most common bacterial species, Escherichia coli (or E. coli) , to generate electricity. from brewery wastewater.

"E. coli can grow on many different sources. This allows us to produce electricity in many environments, including from wastewater," said Ardemis Boghossian, author of the study.

To enhance E. coli's ability to generate electricity, the researchers modified its genome to include protein complexes found in Shewanella oneidensis , one of the best-known electricity-generating bacteria .

According to the share, S. oneidensis generates an electric current when it reduces metals. This current is relatively small, and has been used to detect toxic metals such as arsenic in prototype systems.

Producing electricity from E. coli bacteria also contributes to the treatment of organic waste - which is a headache in many countries around the world. (Photo: Getty).

By combining all the components of S. oneidensis in E. coli, the team increased the voltage of the electric current by 2 times compared to previously designed strains.

The substrate chosen for bacterial activity was wastewater collected from a local brewery in Lausanne, Switzerland. Scientists say that bioengineered electric bacteria can grow exponentially by " eating" this waste.

The signs are extremely positive, as genetically modified bacteria are said to be completely adaptable to other waste streams and raw materials. This means that E. coli bacteria may soon be tested in real environments.

"If E. coli adapts well, it could bring significant energy savings to the world's leading industries ," the team said.

In addition, this method also contributes to the treatment of organic waste - which is a headache in many countries around the world.