Electrogenic Staphylococcus warneri in lactate-rich skin

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Environmental Science
• Dermatology

Background:

• Electrogenic bacteria are known for environmental remediation.
• The electrical properties and locations of electrogenic bacteria on human skin remain largely undetermined.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate electrodermal activities and metabolite compositions on human arm skin.
• To identify and characterize electrogenic bacteria present on the skin.
• To explore the electrical capabilities of identified skin bacteria.

Main Methods:

• Assessed electrodermal activities and metabolite compositions at different arm skin locations.
• Cultured bacteria from the forearm and identified Staphylococcus warneri (S. warneri) using 16S ribosomal RNA sequencing.
• Measured voltage changes induced by S. warneri with glucose using voltmeters of different electrode materials.

Main Results:

• Forearm skin showed higher electrodermal activity and abundant lactate and alpha-ketoglutarate compared to the upper arm.
• Identified an iron-resistant strain of S. warneri on the forearm.
• Demonstrated S. warneri's electrogenicity and its ability to metabolize lactate for electricity generation.

Conclusions:

• Bacterial electricity influences skin conductance through interactions with skin's endogenous molecules.
• This finding may offer a novel approach for monitoring environmental skin insults.