Scientists discover enzyme that can turn air into energy, unlocking potential new energy source

A relative of the tuberculosis bacterium has long been known to convert hydrogen from the air into electricity. Now, scientists have discovered how.

Scientists studying a cousin of the bacteria responsible for tuberculosis and leprosy have discovered an enzyme that converts hydrogen into electricity, and they think it could be used to create a new, clean source of energy literally from thin air.

Now, by extracting and studying the enzyme, the researchers say they have found a new energy source that could be used to power a range of small portable electrical devices. They published their findings March 8 in the journal Nature .

M. smegmatis is a nonpathogenic, fast-growing bacterium often used in the lab to study the cell wall structure of its close, disease-causing relative, Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Commonly found in soil all over the world, M. smegmatis has long been known to convert trace hydrogen in the air into energy; in this way, the microbe can survive in the toughest environments, including Antarctic soils, volcanic craters and the deep ocean, where little other fuel can be found, the researchers said.

The team discovered that at its center, Huc has a structure, called an active site, that contains charged ions of nickel and iron. Once hydrogen molecules enter the active site, they become trapped between the nickel and iron ions and get stripped of their electrons. The enzyme then sends these electrons along in a flowing stream to generate a current.

We have summarized this news so that you can read it quickly. If you are interested in the news, you can read the full text here. Read more:

LiveScience /  🏆 538. in US

South Africa Latest News, South Africa Headlines

Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.

Scientists solve mystery behind strange honeycomb pattern in salt desertsPhysicists have finally uncovered the mechanism behind the spectacular patchwork of hexagons on salt flats. The answer lies hidden beneath the crust and works like a donut-shaped radiator.
Read more »

New hormone injection could help you sober up twice as fast: scientistsThere could be a solution to getting sober quicker, according to scientists.
Read more »

Scientists Investigated Why Clowns Are So Terrifying and [Sinister Circus Music Plays]Scientists have quantified why people are afraid of clowns — and their findings kind of take the air out of this common fear.
Read more »

New AI tool can aid scientists in hunting for life on MarsResearchers created a significantly powerful tool that predicted probabilities of biosignature detection on Mars at an impressive level of 56.9 to 87.5 percent.
Read more »

Scientists Finally Solve Mystery of Why Solar Probes Keep Fogging UpSpace probes designed to study the Sun are the last places you'd expect to have a moisture problem.
Read more »

In a first, scientists record shockwaves in the cosmic webIn a new research, scientists claim to have observed shockwaves moving through these galaxy clusters and filaments that make up the galactic or cosmic web.
Read more »