Elucidating the mechanism of microbial long-distance electron transport.

Recently, long filamentous "cable bacteria" have been discovered, which are capable of mediating large electrical currents over centimeter-scale distances. This finding extends the known length scale of microbial electron transmission by three orders of magnitude, and implies that biological evolution has somehow generated a highly conductive, organic structure. This is remarkable as biological materials are known to be poorly conductive. Microbial long-distance electron transport is a disruptive finding, both in terms of new biology as well as in terms of new technology. If the conductive structures inside cable bacteria could be somehow harnessed in an engineered way, this could pave the way for entirely new materials and applications in bio-electronics. To better grasp the wide reaching implications, we need to better understand the phenomenon of microbial long-distance electron transport. Yet presently, it remains a conundrum how electrons are transported through cable bacteria. Recently we obtained a breakthrough by connecting cable bacteria to electrodes and measuring the electrical current. These data demonstrate that the cell envelope of cable bacteria contains highly conductive structures. The prime objectives of this project are to resolve the physical structure and chemical composition of these conductive structures. Additionally, we will determine the underlying mechanism of electron transport and the electrical properties of the conductive structures.

Keywords:MICROBIAL ECOLOGY

Disciplines:Marine geoscience, Marine ecology