'Bioelectric bacteria on steroids' could aid in pollutant cleanup and energy renewal

Scientists have discovered a species of bacteria that can act as electric wiring, according to a new study. The bacteria, named Ca. Electrothrix yaqonensis, could usher in a "new era of bioelectronic devices for use in medicine, industry, food safety and environmental monitoring and cleanup," the researchers said in a press statement.

Distinctive features

Ca. Electrothrix yaqonensis, a cable bacteria "built from rod-shaped cells attached end to end," is not the only species able to conduct electricity, but it's considered "bioelectric bacteria on steroids," said Popular Mechanics. It "stands out from all other described cable bacteria species in terms of its metabolic potential," said Cheng Li, a researcher at Oregon State University and co-author of the study published in the journal Applied and Environmental Microbiology, in the press statement.

They have "distinctive structural features, including pronounced surface ridges up to three times wider than those seen in other species that house highly conductive fibers made of unique nickel-based molecules," said Li. This bacteria's electrical conductivity is an unusual trait and likely an "adaptation that optimizes their metabolic processes in the sediment environments in which they live."

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The species transfers "electrons along its body" and shuttles "charges through sediments in its environment," said BGR. The species also contains genes and metabolic pathways that are a mix of two different bacterial genera. It "seems to be a bridge," which suggests it "could provide new insights into how these bacteria evolved and how they might function in different environments," said Li.

Spark of inspiration

These bacteria can "transfer electrons to clean up pollutants, so they could be used to remove harmful substances from sediments," said Li. This may be especially beneficial as remediation — reversing or stopping environmental damage — because remediation "can be one of the most time-consuming and costly aspects of infrastructure projects, particularly if a former brownfield site hopes to be reclaimed as a park or another public space," said Popular Mechanics. Using bacteria for such purposes is a sustainable form of remediation because the bacteria are "made of proteins and self-replicating cells," said BGR.

The applications go beyond pollution tidying. Its discovery "expands our understanding of the genetic and morphological diversity of cable bacteria," said the study. The bacteria's nickel proteins can also be a "model for developing new materials in clean energy or sensor technology," said BGR. "Combined with other advancements in generating electricity, like with the Earth's rotation or by capturing energy from falling rain, this discovery could help power a new generation of renewable energy."