Electrical energy from the socket - this convenient type of power supply is apparently used by some microorganisms that form nanowire connections to transfer energy. Researchers have now discovered such small power grids between dual-species microbial consortia that jointly degrade methane.
Using genetic methods and electron microscopy the scientists demonstrated how the wire-like connections between the cells are relevant in energy exchange. Now the researchers report their findings in the journal Nature (doi:10.1038/nature15733). Antje Boetius and Halina Tegetmeyer from the Alfred Wegener Institute belong to the author-team, which is led by Gunter Wegener from the Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology, Bremen. Further information is given in this MPI's press release.