title: Electromicrobiology.
abstract: Electromicrobiology deals with the interactions between microorganisms and electronic devices and with the novel electrical properties of microorganisms. A diversity of microorganisms can donate electrons to, or accept electrons from, electrodes without the addition of artificial electron shuttles. However, the mechanisms for microbe-electrode electron exchange have been seriously studied in only a few microorganisms. Shewanella oneidensis interacts with electrodes primarily via flavins that function as soluble electron shuttles. Geobacter sulfurreducens makes direct electrical contacts with electrodes via outer-surface, c-type cytochromes. G. sulfurreducens is also capable of long-range electron transport along pili, known as microbial nanowires, that have metallic-like conductivity similar to that previously described in synthetic conducting polymers. Pili networks confer conductivity to G. sulfurreducens biofilms, which function as a conducting polymer, with supercapacitor and transistor functionalities. Conductive microorganisms and/or their nanowires have a number of potential practical applications, but additional basic research will be necessary for rational optimization.
authors: Department of Microbiology, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, 01003, USA. dlovley@microbio.umass.edu
authors: Derek R
authors: DR
authors: Lovley
mesh_terms: D001674:Bioelectric Energy Sources; D045304:Cytochromes c / Q000378:metabolism; D004560:Electricity; D004566:Electrodes / Q000382:microbiology*; D004583:Electrons; D010861:Fimbriae, Bacterial / Q000378:metabolism; D005415:Flavins / Q000378:metabolism; D045302:Geobacter / Q000378:metabolism*; D020592:Shewanella / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D005415:Flavins; D045304:Cytochromes c