Did you know that tiny bacteria hold the key to unlocking a cleaner, more sustainable future? It’s not just about microbes surviving—it’s about their hidden superpowers in electricity transfer that could revolutionize technology. For years, scientists believed only a select few bacteria could transfer electrons outside their cells, a process called extracellular electron transfer (EET). This isn’t just a cool trick; it’s essential for cycling elements like carbon, sulfur, and nitrogen in nature, and it’s the backbone of innovations in wastewater treatment, bioenergy, and bioelectronics. But here’s where it gets controversial: what if this ability isn’t as rare as we thought?
Researchers at KAUST have flipped the script, discovering that this skill is far more widespread and versatile than anyone imagined. Working with Desulfuromonas acetexigens, a bacterium that generates impressive electrical currents, they combined cutting-edge techniques like bioelectrochemistry, genomics, and proteomics to map its electron transfer system. The jaw-dropping find? This bacterium activates three distinct pathways—metal-reducing (Mtr), outer-membrane cytochrome (Omc), and porin-cytochrome (Pcc)—all at once. These pathways were thought to have evolved independently in unrelated microbes, but this discovery challenges that long-held belief.
“This is the first time we’ve seen a single organism express these phylogenetically distant pathways in parallel,” explains Dario Rangel Shaw, the study’s lead author. “It’s like discovering a car that runs on gas, electricity, and solar power simultaneously—it defies expectations.”
But that’s not all. The team also found unusually large cytochromes, including one with a record-breaking 86 heme-binding motifs, which could supercharge electron transfer and storage. Tests revealed that D. acetexigens can channel electrons directly to electrodes and natural iron minerals, achieving current densities rivaling those of Geobacter sulfurreducens, a well-known model species.
And this is the part most people miss: when the researchers analyzed publicly available genomes, they identified over 40 species of Desulfobacterota with similar multipathway systems, thriving in environments from sediments to hydrothermal vents. “This reveals an unrecognized versatility in microbial respiration,” says Krishna Katuri, co-author of the study. “Microbes with multiple electron transfer routes may outcompete others by accessing a broader range of energy sources.”
The implications are massive. Beyond ecology, harnessing these bacteria could supercharge bioremediation, wastewater treatment, bioenergy production, and bioelectronics. Imagine electroactive biofilms cleaning pollutants while generating energy from waste—a win-win for sustainability.
“Our findings expand the known diversity of electron transfer proteins and highlight untapped microbial resources,” adds Pascal Saikaly, who led the study. “This opens the door to designing more efficient microbial systems for sustainable biotechnologies.”
Here’s the thought-provoking question: If bacteria have been quietly mastering electricity transfer for eons, what other hidden strategies are they using that we haven’t discovered yet? And how might these secrets reshape our approach to sustainability? Let’s discuss—do you think this discovery could be a game-changer, or is it just another piece of the puzzle? Share your thoughts below!
