Scientists at the Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) have achieved a revolutionary breakthrough by engineering E. coli bacteria to produce electricity.

Using a process called extracellular electron transfer (EET), the researchers succeeded in turning bacteria into highly efficient electrical microbes, which tripled the generation of electrical current compared to conventional methods.

To this end, a complete TSE pathway was created within E. coli, a significant achievement that had not been accomplished before.

The modified E. coli can produce electricity while metabolizing various organic substrates, making it suitable for waste treatment and large-scale energy production.

In addition, the researchers believe it has potential applications in microbial fuel cells, electrosynthesis and biosensors, thanks to its genetic flexibility and adaptability to specific environments and feedstocks.