Small changes in the chemistry surrounding Geobacter bacteria can have a surprisingly large effect on how the microorganisms interact with metals — a finding that could help improve their use in environmental cleanup, metal recovery and energy technologies.
New research from Michigan State University’s Department of Microbiology, Genetics, & Immunology, or MGI, shows that subtle differences in positively charged ions, known as cations, can change the outer structure of Geobacter cells and influence how the bacteria move electrons and transform metals. The work was published in Nature Communications.