Highly efficient long-range conduction through a biosynthetic nickel-organic framework
Biobased electronics aims for disruptive innovation in sustainable electronics but is obstructed by the low intrinsic conductivity of biomaterials. Recently, fibres were discovered within the cell envelope of multi-cellular cable bacteria, which display an exceptional conductivity for a biomaterial. Yet, the molecular structure and electron transport mechanism remain unresolved, thus precluding a detailed structure-function understanding and the development of biomimetic analogues. Here, we demonstrate that each fibre embeds an extended nickel-organic framework, which consists of a bundle of intertwined nanoribbons, each built from stacked repeat units in which multiple nickel centres are linked by organic dithiolene ligands. This metal-organic supramolecular architecture provides extensive conjugation and electron delocalization, thus enabling exceptional conductance over macroscale distances. This suggests a novel design principle for bio-based electronic materials and opens possibilities for biosynthesis of metal-organic frameworks. Cable bacteria are filamentous microorganisms able to transport electrical currents over centimetre distances, giving them a survival advantage in aquatic sediments. The molecular basis of this conductivity has remained unclear. This study shows that electron transport occurs through a continuous nickel-based organic framework located within periplasmic fibres that span the centimeterlong bacterial filaments. This finding clarifies how efficient long-range conduction is achieved and highlights a promising biological model for developing innovative bio-based electronic materials.
Authors
- Johan Verbeeck (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7151-8101)
- Isabel Pintelon (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2901-4679)
- Galina Pankratova (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9142-3364)
- Sara Bals (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4249-8017)
- Nathalie Claes (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6475-0204)
- Han Remaut (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9775-4102)
- Sylvain Bohic (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6355-7592)
- Jeanine S. Geelhoed (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6334-2604)
- Filip J. R. Meysman (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5334-7655)
- Karolien De Wael (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4495-0748)
- Silvia Hidalgo‐Martinez (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0005-1878-0361)
- Alberto Collauto (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1966-9532)
- Henricus T. S. Boschker (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0947-7919)
- B. Smets (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4133-6339)
- Matteo Aramini (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9134-3831)
- Dmitry Karpov (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5095-7300)
- Bob C. Schroeder (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9793-631X)
- Martijn A. Zwijnenburg (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5291-2130)
- Maxie M. Roessler (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5291-4328)
- Gert Nuyts (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9086-2610)
- Jean‐Pierre Timmermans (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2506-6252)
- Maxwell Wetherington (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1958-1354)
- Shusaku Hayama (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0008-8382-6276)
- Tamazouzt Chennit (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0007-4942-5084)
- Jiji Alingapoyil Choyikutty
- Thijs Bodson
- Yun Liu
Institutions
- Pennsylvania State University (US)
- Vrije Universiteit Brussel (BE)
- University of Antwerp (BE)
- Inserm (FR)
- Commissariat à l'Énergie Atomique et aux Énergies Alternatives (FR)
- European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (FR)
- Vlaams Instituut voor Biotechnologie (BE)
- Diamond Light Source (GB)
- CEA Grenoble (FR)
- Institut de Recherche Interdisciplinaire de Grenoble (FR)
- NIHR Imperial Biomedical Research Centre (GB)
- Province of Antwerp (BE)
- VIB-VUB Center for Structural Biology (BE)
- University College London (GB)
- Imperial College London (GB)
- Université Grenoble Alpes (FR)
- Delft University of Technology (NL)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Nature Communications
- Published
- 2026-09-01
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-026-76989-0
- Primary Topic
- Microbial Fuel Cells and Bioremediation
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00
Funders
- University of Pennsylvania
- Université Catholique de Louvain
- Pennsylvania State University
- Diamond Light Source
- UK Research and Innovation
- Imperial College London
- European Synchrotron Radiation Facility
- Technische Universiteit Delft
- Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek
- Nederlandse Organisatie voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek
- Universiteit Antwerpen
- Vlaamse regering
- Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council
- HORIZON EUROPE European Innovation Council