A humble bacterium first isolated in New York’s Lake Oneida almost 30 years ago could change the world. With its innate ability to generate electricity, the little powerhouse might one day pave the way for making wastewater drinkable.The bacterium, Shewanella oneidensis, inspired researchers from the Bazan Research Group at the University of California-Santa Barbara to create a chemically modified microbial fuel cell. Using iron and other minerals, Shewanella produces energy as part of its metabolism and relies on current-conducting proteins in its cell membrane for respiration.The researchers created an iron-containing molecule, DSFO+, with a structure that could mimic those critical
The Little Bacterium That Could
Researchers replace membrane proteins in bacteria with a molecule they created and gain control over their ability to produce electricity
Mar 13, 2017
| by Julie Cohen, UCSB Office of Public Affairs & Communications |
