Department of Microbiology, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, 01003, USA.
Annu Rev Microbiol. 2012;66:391-409. doi: 10.1146/annurev-micro-092611-150104. Epub 2012 Jun 28.
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.
电微生物学研究微生物与电子设备之间的相互作用，以及微生物的新型电学性质。许多微生物可以在不添加人工电子穿梭体的情况下，向电极供电子或从电极接受电子。然而，微生物-电极电子交换的机制仅在少数几种微生物中得到了深入研究。希瓦氏菌（Shewanella oneidensis）主要通过黄素作为可溶性电子穿梭体与电极相互作用。脱硫弧菌（Geobacter sulfurreducens）通过外表面的 c 型细胞色素与电极进行直接的电接触。脱硫弧菌还能够通过被称为微生物纳米线的菌毛进行长距离电子传输，这些菌毛具有类似于先前在合成导电聚合物中描述的金属样导电性。菌毛网络赋予了具有超级电容器和晶体管功能的脱硫弧菌生物膜导电性，使其成为一种导电聚合物。导电微生物和/或它们的纳米线具有许多潜在的实际应用，但需要进行额外的基础研究，以实现合理优化。
