Scientists Discover Bacteria That Can 'Breathe' By Generating Electricity

Scientists have discovered an electricity-generating bacteria that might power future innovations and revolutionise the biotechnology and energy industry. A team of researchers at Rice University found that a certain type of bacteria breathe by generating electricity, using a natural process that pushes electrons into their surroundings instead of breathing oxygen.

While most living organisms rely on oxygen to metabolise food and release energy, the researchers found that some bacteria use naturally occurring compounds called naphthoquinones to transfer electrons to external surfaces.

The process is called extracellular respiration, which mimics how batteries discharge electric current, thereby allowing bacteria to thrive without oxygen, according to the study findings, published in the journal Cell.

"This newly discovered mechanism of respiration is a simple and ingenious way to get the job done. Naphthoquinones act like molecular couriers, carrying electrons out of the cell so the bacteria can break down food and generate energy," said Biki Bapi Kundu, a Rice doctoral student and first author of the study.

While scientists have long leveraged this unusual mode of respiration in biotechnology, this is the first time they have managed to figure out the mechanism behind it.

The researchers stimulated bacterial growth in environments devoid of oxygen but rich in conductive surfaces, using advanced computer modelling. The results showed that bacteria could survive by discharging electrons externally. Further tests showed that bacteria placed in conductive materials continued to flourish and generate electricity -- effectively breathing through the surface.

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Real-life implications

The study findings could have far-reaching, real-life implications. The electricity-exhaling bacteria could help fix electron imbalances in biotechnology processes such as wastewater treatment and biomanufacturing. It could also help in developing new tools for medical diagnostics, pollution monitoring and deep-space exploration.

"Our research not only solves a long-standing scientific mystery, but it also points to a new and potentially widespread survival strategy in nature," said Caroline Ajo-Franklin, professor of biosciences at Rice University, who led the study.

"It opens the door to building smarter, more sustainable technologies with biology at the core," she added.