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METALLOPROTEINS

Uncovering nature’s electronics

Nature Chemical Biology volume 16, pages 1041–1042 (2020)Cite this article

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The electrogenic bacterium Geobacter synthesizes conductive extracellular nanowires to facilitate electron transfer that powers respiration. A highly conductive form of these nanowires is now revealed to be composed of oligomers of an 8-heme cytochrome, OmcZ.

In the absence of oxygen, some bacteria use extracellular electron acceptors to support respiration. Collectively, these bacteria are known as dissimilatory metal-reducing bacteria, of which Geobacter and Shewanella are the most well-studied members1. Functional extracellular electron acceptors include not only Fe(iii) and Mn(iv) minerals but also electrodes, which form the key component of microbial fuel cells that can generate electrical energy. Many of the most proficient energy-generating organisms are from the Geobacter genus, forming thick biofilms on the electrode surface2. These electrogenic bacteria transport intracellularly generated electrons to the electrode using conductive nanowires to facilitate electron transfer over large distances. In a new study, Yalcin et al. identified a new type of conductive nanowire produced by Geobacter that displays enhanced physical and electrical properties compared to previously identified cytochrome nanowires3. This study not only increases our understanding of the diverse mechanisms of bacterial extracellular electron transfer (EET), but also provides exciting opportunities for the development of bioelectronics.

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Fig. 1: Comparison of Geobacter nanowires.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich, Norfolk, UK

    Thomas A. Clarke

  2. School of Life Sciences, University of Essex, Colchester, Essex, UK

    Marcus J. Edwards

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  1. Thomas A. Clarke
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  2. Marcus J. Edwards
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Correspondence to Thomas A. Clarke or Marcus J. Edwards.

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The authors declare no competing interests.

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Clarke, T.A., Edwards, M.J. Uncovering nature’s electronics. Nat Chem Biol 16, 1041–1042 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41589-020-00655-9

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