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Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/2445/180328
Efficient long-range conduction in cable bacteria through nickel protein wires
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Filamentous cable bacteria display long-range electron transport, generating electrical currents over centimeter distances through a highly ordered network of fibers embedded in their cell envelope. The conductivity of these periplasmic wires is exceptionally high for a biological material, but their chemical structure and underlying electron transport mechanism remain unresolved. Here, we combine high-resolution microscopy, spectroscopy, and chemical imaging on individual cable bacterium filaments to demonstrate that the periplasmic wires consist of a conductive protein core surrounded by an insulating protein shell layer. The core proteins contain a sulfur-ligated nickel cofactor, and conductivity decreases when nickel is oxidized or selectively removed. The involvement of nickel as the active metal in biological conduction is remarkable, and suggests a hitherto unknown form of electron transport that enables efficient conduction in centimeter-long protein structures.
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BOSCHKER, Henricus T. S., et al. Efficient long-range conduction in cable bacteria through nickel protein wires. Nature Communications. 2021. Vol. 12, num. 1. ISSN 2041-1723. [consulted: 13 of October of 2026]. Available at: https://hdl.handle.net/2445/180328