Bacteria Can Perform Multiple Activities By Using Single Trick: Microbiologist Uncovered New Mystery

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• Date: 06 Jan,2016

Researcher from Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory recently uncovered a mysterious work while working on bacteria named Morella thermoacetica. The bacteria could be induced for photosynthetic activities as well as no photosynthetic activities apart from these can also be used in synthesis of semiconductor nanoparticles in artificial photosynthetic systems.

According to Peidong Yang, Scientist from Berkeley National Laboratory and led this work

"We've demonstrated the first self-photosensitization of a non-photosynthetic bacterium, M. thermoacetica, with cadmium sulfide nanoparticles to produce acetic acid from carbon dioxide at efficiencies and yield that are comparable to or may even exceed the capabilities of natural photosynthesis,"

"The bacteria/inorganic-semiconductor hybrid artificial photosynthesis system we've created is self-replicating through the bio-precipitation of cadmium sulfide nanoparticles, which serve as the light harvester to sustain cellular metabolism," Yang says. "Demonstrating this cyborgian ability to self-augment the functionality of biological systems through inorganic chemistry opens up the integration of biotic and abiotic components for the next generation of advanced solar-to-chemical conversion technologies."

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Journal References

K. K. Sakimoto, A. B. Wong, P. Yang. Self-photosensitization of non photosynthetic bacteria for solar-to-chemical production. Science, 2015; 351 (6268): 74 DOI: 10.1126/science.aad3317