Cell-e-brities series
Hello everybody, I welcome you all to our Cell-e-brities series, where we get to know the amazing personalities in Biology, their different roles, and their contributions to this planet. Our today show is covering the roles of ‘Proteins as Nanowires’.
Welcome all to today’s show ‘Science with Van: Electrifying Proteins!’
👩🔬Van: Today, we have some electrifying guests, literally! We’re talking about proteins that can generate electricity. Yes, you heard that right, proteins playing the roles as nanowires! Welcome, Proteins! What exactly are protein nanowires?
Proteins: Thanks for having us, Van! We’re proteins that behave like tiny wires called as nanowires because we can conduct electricity at the nanoscale. Bacteria like Geobacter sulfurreducens, live in mud and low-oxygen environments, produce us as a survival mechanism. Normally, cells use oxygen to accept electrons during energy production. But in places where oxygen is limited, these bacteria still need to release electrons to stay alive.
👩🔬Van: So, you are like a lifeline for these bacteria, helping them survive in harsh conditions! How do you transfer these electrons?
Proteins: Great question! The bacteria produce building blocks called pilin proteins and assemble them into long, thin filaments like biological threads that extend out through their outer membranes acting as our nanowires. Our structure includes a series of repeating amino acids that create a pathway for electrons. Think of us like a miniature version of power lines, but at a nanoscale. When we’re connected between two points, we can move electrons from one side to the other, creating an electric current.
👩🔬Van: That’s exciting! I’ve heard scientists are finding ways to make you even better at what you do. Can you share how they’re improving your performance?
Proteins: Absolutely! Scientists have discovered that by manipulating our environment and tweaking our genetic makeup, they can enhance our conductivity. For instance, research has shown that modifying the sequence of amino acids can make us more efficient nanowires. This has huge potential for creating bio-batteries and sustainable energy solutions.
👩🔬Van: This is fantastic! How can your abilities be used in real-world situations? Are there new directions or challenges in taking protein nanowires from the lab to real-world use?
Proteins: There’s a lot of exciting potential! For example, we’re already being used in microbial fuel cells to generate electricity from organic waste. So wastewater treatment plants could also produce power! Scientists are also looking into us for bioelectronics, soft sensors, and even new types of batteries that are more sustainable and environment-friendly. Right now, the challenge is to scale up in how we’re made and how to use us in real technologies. Researchers are also working on improving our stability and how well we work in different conditions, and can be used for all kinds of things, from powering small sensors to contributing to clean energy solutions.
👩🔬Van: This has been really amazing to learn. Before we end, is there anything you’d like us to take away from all this?
Proteins: Just this, next time you here or think of proteins, don’t just think of food, think of energy! We’re more than just building blocks of life, we’re also builders of the future.
👩🔬Van: This statement made my day! Thanks for joining us! And thank you, viewers, for tuning in!
For detailed story, please follow these research links: https://rdcu.be/dKQRe, https://rdcu.be/dKQLy, https://pdb101.rcsb.org/motm/290
Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) images of a G. sulfurreducens and purified protein nanowires (right) harvested from G. sulfurreducens (From https://rdcu.be/dKQRe).
Three cytochrome nanowires from Geobacter bacteria. The electron-carrying hemes are shown in pink. Geobacter bacteria exhibit an astounding ability to utilize minerals containing metals as a crucial part of their energy-generation strategy. They construct extended nanowires to efficiently transfer electrons to these minerals. The nanowires highlighted in structures like PDB ID 6nef/6ef8, 7tfs, and 7lq5/8d9m consist of elongated chains of cytochrome proteins, each hosting electron-carrying heme cofactors (From https://pdb101.rcsb.org/motm/290).
Thank you, everybody. Stay safe, stay happy.
Leave a Reply