Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Microbial Corrosion01:24

Microbial Corrosion

90
Microbiologically Influenced Corrosion (MIC) is a significant form of material degradation caused by the metabolic activities of microorganisms. This phenomenon poses substantial challenges across various industries, including oil and gas, maritime, and water treatment sectors.MIC occurs when microorganisms, such as bacteria, archaea, and fungi, colonize metal surfaces, forming biofilms that alter the local electrochemical environment. These biofilms can lead to the production of corrosive...
90
Microbial Biosensors01:17

Microbial Biosensors

88
Microbial biosensors are analytical devices that utilize living microbes to detect specific substances through measurable signals. These devices consist of two main components: biosensing organisms and signal-transducing elements. Biosensing organisms, such as Escherichia coli or Saccharomyces cerevisiae, are typically housed in multiwell plates connected to transducers, enabling rapid, real-time detection of target analytes.Signal Generation MechanismWhen a target analyte—such as...
88
Environmental Applications of Microorganisms01:30

Environmental Applications of Microorganisms

1.5K
Microorganisms play a pivotal role in maintaining ecosystem balance by recycling essential elements such as carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus, as well as supporting processes like bioremediation, wastewater treatment, and biofuel production.Microbes in Elemental CyclesIn the carbon cycle, microorganisms decompose organic matter, releasing carbon dioxide via aerobic respiration. This carbon dioxide is subsequently used by photosynthetic organisms to synthesize organic compounds, closing the...
1.5K
Biofuels01:25

Biofuels

107
The microbial conversion of organic matter into biofuels holds potential as a renewable energy source. Among biofuel sources, microalgae are recognized as a highly efficient and adaptable feedstock for biodiesel production, owing to their rapid biomass accumulation, elevated lipid productivity, and capacity to proliferate in diverse aquatic systems, including freshwater, marine, and wastewater habitats. Unlike terrestrial crops, microalgae do not compete for land and can achieve significantly...
107
Microbial Bioremediation of Hydrocarbons01:26

Microbial Bioremediation of Hydrocarbons

142
Bioremediation is an environmentally sustainable process that employs living organisms—primarily microorganisms—to degrade or neutralize pollutants from contaminated environments. In oil spills and hydrocarbon pollution, bioremediation involves the use of hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria to transform toxic compounds into less harmful substances. This approach leverages natural microbial metabolic processes and is considered both cost-effective and ecologically favorable compared to...
142
Microbial Bioremediation of Uranium01:25

Microbial Bioremediation of Uranium

96
Microorganisms play a critical role in the transformation and immobilization of uranium in contaminated environments through four main pathways: bioreduction, biosorption, bioaccumulation, and biomineralization. These mechanisms reduce uranium’s toxicity and prevent its migration through groundwater systems, offering sustainable approaches for in situ bioremediation.Bioreduction of UraniumBioreduction is driven by anaerobic bacteria such as certain strains of Geobacter and Shewanella,...
96

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Extracellular electron transfer: From early life to modern biogeochemistry and applications.

Advances in microbial physiology·2026
Same author

Evolution for enhanced extracellular electron transfer in <i>Geobacter sulfurreducens</i> over seventeen years of continuous current generation.

Frontiers in microbiology·2026
Same author

Fe(III) Oxide Reduction Bypassing Outer-Surface Cytochromes in a Marine Respiratory Anaerobe.

Environmental science & technology·2026
Same author

Preemptive biofilm colonization blocks microbial metal corrosion.

NPJ biofilms and microbiomes·2026
Same author

Electroactive Microbes Short-Circuit the Passive Film to Corrode Stainless Steel.

Research (Washington, D.C.)·2026
Same author

Commentary: Electron transport across the cell envelope via multiheme c-type cytochromes in <i>Geobacter sulfurreducens</i>.

Frontiers in chemistry·2025

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Apr 29, 2026

Characterizing Electron Transport through Living Biofilms
08:52

Characterizing Electron Transport through Living Biofilms

Published on: June 1, 2018

8.0K

Microbial nanowires for bioenergy applications.

Nikhil S Malvankar1, Derek R Lovley2

  • 1Department of Physics, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, United States; Department of Microbiology, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, United States.

Current Opinion in Biotechnology
|May 28, 2014
PubMed
Summary

Microbial nanowires, conductive filaments used in extracellular electron transfer, are key to bioenergy. Understanding their conductivity mechanisms can enhance microbial fuel cells and electrosynthesis.

More Related Videos

Waste Water Derived Electroactive Microbial Biofilms: Growth, Maintenance, and Basic Characterization
11:58

Waste Water Derived Electroactive Microbial Biofilms: Growth, Maintenance, and Basic Characterization

Published on: December 29, 2013

16.3K
Synthesis of Multi-walled Carbon Nanotubes Modified with Silver Nanoparticles and Evaluation of Their Antibacterial Activities and Cytotoxic Properties
11:19

Synthesis of Multi-walled Carbon Nanotubes Modified with Silver Nanoparticles and Evaluation of Their Antibacterial Activities and Cytotoxic Properties

Published on: May 10, 2018

9.4K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Apr 29, 2026

Characterizing Electron Transport through Living Biofilms
08:52

Characterizing Electron Transport through Living Biofilms

Published on: June 1, 2018

8.0K
Waste Water Derived Electroactive Microbial Biofilms: Growth, Maintenance, and Basic Characterization
11:58

Waste Water Derived Electroactive Microbial Biofilms: Growth, Maintenance, and Basic Characterization

Published on: December 29, 2013

16.3K
Synthesis of Multi-walled Carbon Nanotubes Modified with Silver Nanoparticles and Evaluation of Their Antibacterial Activities and Cytotoxic Properties
11:19

Synthesis of Multi-walled Carbon Nanotubes Modified with Silver Nanoparticles and Evaluation of Their Antibacterial Activities and Cytotoxic Properties

Published on: May 10, 2018

9.4K

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Biophysics
  • Bioelectrochemistry

Background:

  • Microbial nanowires are conductive proteinaceous filaments enabling extracellular electron transfer.
  • Different microbes, like Shewanella oneidensis and Geobacter sulfurreducens, utilize distinct mechanisms for electron transport along these nanowires.
  • Geobacter nanowires are crucial for direct interspecies electron transfer (DIET), a process vital for syntrophic waste conversion.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To elucidate the conductivity mechanisms of microbial nanowires.
  • To explore the role of microbial nanowires in bioenergy applications, including microbial fuel cells (MFCs) and microbial electrosynthesis.
  • To investigate the potential of nanowires and their mimetics in enhancing extracellular electron exchange for energy strategies.

Main Methods:

  • Comparative analysis of electron transport models in Shewanella oneidensis and Geobacter sulfurreducens nanowires.
  • Investigation of the structural basis for metal-like conductivity in Geobacter nanowires, focusing on pi-pi orbital overlap.
  • Assessment of nanowire network conductivity in Geobacter biofilms for electricity generation in MFCs.

Main Results:

  • Shewanella oneidensis nanowires facilitate electron transport via cytochrome hopping/tunneling.
  • Geobacter sulfurreducens nanowires exhibit metal-like conductivity due to aromatic amino acid pi-pi orbital overlap.
  • Increased nanowire production in Geobacter strains directly correlates with improved current generation in MFCs.

Conclusions:

  • Microbial nanowires possess diverse conductivity mechanisms with significant implications for bioenergy.
  • The conductivity of Geobacter nanowires is critical for their role in DIET and biofilm-based electricity generation.
  • Harnessing microbial nanowires or their synthetic analogs offers promising avenues for advancing bioenergy technologies.