Most living things, including humans, rely on oxygen to survive. However, some bacteria have a completely different way of making energy. Instead of breathing oxygen, they breathe electricity.
Scientists at Rice University have just uncovered the secret behind this unusual process. In a study published in Cell, the researchers revealed that certain bacteria can generate energy by pushing electrons out of their cells into nearby materials. This method, known as extracellular respiration, allows the bacteria to survive in places where oxygen is scarce, such as deep-sea vents or inside the human gut.
These electricity-breathing bacteria use molecules called naphthoquinones to transfer electrons out of their cells. These molecules act like couriers, helping the bacteria complete the chemical reactions needed to break down food and stay alive.
The researchers note that we’ve known bacteria could breathe without oxygen for some time now. But this is the first time we’ve discovered exactly how they do it, which makes this a crazy month for bacteria, especially since scientists recently discovered never-before-seen bacteria on China’s space station.
To test the discovery, the team ran simulations and lab experiments. They showed that bacteria placed on conductive surfaces could grow and continue generating electricity even without oxygen. This confirmed that the bacteria can use surfaces to complete their energy cycle, much like we use oxygen.
The discovery of these electricity-breathing bacteria could have important applications. It might improve technologies that rely on bacteria, such as wastewater treatment or clean energy systems. These bacteria could help fix chemical imbalances and keep systems running more smoothly.
According to Ajo-Franklin, the findings also suggest new possibilities for using bacteria in renewable energy, such as turning carbon dioxide into useful products using electricity. Whether or not it can hold up to that kind of work, though, will have to wait for future research to dig deeper.
