Yes, you read that right! Bacteria that can generate electricity sounds like something from a movie! Well, it has now started to become a reality. I introduce you to Geobacter metallireducens!
G. metallireducens is the first of its kind to be able to conserve energy to support its growth. It does this by oxidation of organic compounds and reduction of iron, Fe(III), and manganese, Mn(IV). Essentially, G. metallireducens can use metals from its environment for
cellular respiration; whereas humans would use oxygen.
One unique feature of G. metallireducens is that when its sources of energy are depleted in a particular area, it can grow a tail, called a flagella, to move itself to a more metal-rich environment.
Using tiny hairlike structures, called pili, the bacteria transfer electrons to the metal. This is how the electric currents flow from G. metallireducens.
G. metallireducens only grows its pili when needed. Perhaps in the future, scientists will be able to find a way to have the bacteria express their pili consistently to create a consistent flow of electricity from them.
The first kind of Geobacter metallireducens was found in freshwater sediment.
Researchers are looking to bacteria for electricity production due to the impact that fossil fuels, the current most used way of producing bacteria, have on the environment. They supply about 80% of the world’s energy. Because of fossil fuels we have seen an increase of 0.3 of the 1C temperature increase in global average temperatures.
Right now it is unclear when Geobacter metallireducens will be able to be used as an efficient energy source but I assure you that it will soon be a priority among researchers and environmentalists as global temperatures continue to increase.
To learn about other bacteria with unique functions, watch this: 6 Bacteria with Wild Superpowers
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