Bacterial Source of Future Electricity

For the first time revealed that the molecular structure of proteins allows the bacterium to transfer electrical charge. This is revealed in the report of the National Academy of Sciences in the United States on Monday (23 / 5).

The scientists used a technique called x-ray crystallography to determine the structure of protein molecules that act like 'wires' of atoms and produce electricity.

"This is an interesting leap in our understanding of several species of bacteria can deliver electrons from inside to outside the cell," said lead author Tom Clarke of the University of East Anglia in Norwich, England.

He said, this discovery means we can now begin to develop an efficient biobaterai as a viable energy source in the future. But, to get to where it can take maybe a decade.

Well, the use of bacteria that is now a performance of 100 or 1,000 times more efficient.

The discovery also can speed up the development of microbial technology that can help clean up oil or uranium pollution.

Microbes may in future be registered to clean up nuclear accidents like in Fukushima Daiichi in Japan.