Microbial Fuel Cell

Abstract

Transgenic microbes with an altered electrogenic efficacy, biofilms comprising such microbes, and microbial fuel cells comprising such microbes are provided. The microbial fuel cells can be operated as monitors, filtration devices, and sensors.

1 . A transgenic  Pseudomonas aeruginosa  cell stably transformed with an isolated nucleic acid molecule that disrupts an endogenous nucleotide sequence of interest selected from the group comprising pilT (SEQ ID NO:1), pilA (SEQ ID NO:2), nirS (SEQ ID NO:3), bdlA (SEQ ID NO:4), lasI (SEQ ID NO:5), lasR (SEQ ID NO:6),ftsZ (SEQ ID NO:7), and fliC (SEQ ID NO:8) wherein said microbial cell exhibits decreased expression of said endogenous nucleotide sequence of interest and said cell exhibits an altered electrogenic efficacy, wherein the  Pseudomonas aeruginosa  comprises at least three endogenous nucleotide sequences of interest that are disrupted. 
     
     
         2 . (canceled) 
     
     
         3 . (canceled) 
     
     
         4 . The transgenic cell of  claim 1 , wherein said at least three disrupted endogenous nucleotide sequences are selected from the group of triple nucleotide sequences of interest comprising pilT (SEQ ID NO:1) bdlA (SEQ ID NO:4) ftsZ (SEQ ID NO:7); bdlA (SEQ ID NO:4) nirS (SEQ ID NO:3)ftsZ (SEQ ID NO:7); bdlA (SEQ ID NO:4) lasI (SEQ ID NO:5) ftsZ (SEQ ID NO:7); nirS (SEQ ID NO:3) pilT (SEQ ID NO:1)ftsZ (SEQ ID NO:7); nirS (SEQ ID NO:3) lasI (SEQ ID NO:5)ftsZ (SEQ ID NO:7); lasI (SEQ ID NO:5) pilT (SEQ ID NO:1)ftsZ (SEQ ID NO:7); pilT (SEQ ID NO:1) bdlA (SEQ ID NO:4) nirS (SEQ ID NO:3); pilT (SEQ ID NO:1) bdlA (SEQ ID NO:4) lasI (SEQ ID NO:5); and bdlA (SEQ ID NO:4) lasI (SEQ ID NO:5) nirS (SEQ ID NO:3). 
     
     
         5 - 17 . (canceled) 
     
     
         18 . A biofilm comprising a transgenic bacterial cell wherein said bacterial cell is a transgenic  Pseudomonas aeruginosa  cell stably transformed with an isolated nucleic acid molecule that disrupts an endogenous nucleotide sequence of interest selected from the group comprising pilT (SEQ ID NO:1), pilA (SEQ ID NO:2), nirS (SEQ ID NO:3), bdlA (SEQ ID NO:4), lasI (SEQ ID NO:5), lasR (SEQ ID NO:6),ftsZ (SEQ ID NO:7), and fliC (SEQ ID NO:8) wherein said bacterial cell exhibits decreased expression of said endogenous nucleotide sequence of interest and said cell exhibits an altered electrogenic efficacy. 
     
     
         19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . A filtration device comprising the biofilm of  claim 18 . 
     
     
         21 . The filtration device of  claim 20  wherein said device comprises an indicator. 
     
     
         22 . The filtration device of  claim 20 , wherein said filtration device is selected from the group comprising a liquid material filtration device and a gaseous material filtration device. 
     
     
         23 - 24 . (canceled) 
     
     
         25 . A microbial fuel cell comprising the biofilm of  claim 18 , an anode chamber and a cathode chamber. 
     
     
         26 . The microbial fuel cell of  claim 25  wherein said anode chamber is detachable. 
     
     
         27 . The microbial fuel cell of  claim 25  wherein said biofilm is attached to the anode. 
     
     
         28 . The microbial fuel cell of  claim 25  wherein said biofilm is exposed to a feedstock selected from the group comprising sewage, fertilizer run-off, waste-water, animal waste, gaseous material, and a greenhouse gas. 
     
     
         29 . The microbial fuel cell of  claim 25  wherein anaerobic conditions are maintained around said biofilm. 
     
     
         30 . The microbial fuel cell of  claim 25  wherein said anodic chamber is pretreated with a biofilm inhibitor. 
     
     
         31 . The microbial fuel cell of  claim 25  further comprising a mediator. 
     
     
         32 . A sensor for detecting a predetermined compound comprising a microbial fuel cell of  claim 25  and an indicator, wherein said indicator indicates an abnormal level of said compound. 
     
     
         33 . The sensor of  claim 32  further comprising a second transgenic bacterial cell for detecting a second predetermined compound. 
     
     
         34 . The microbial fuel cell of  claim 25  further comprising an ultracapacitor. 
     
     
         35 . The microbial fuel cell of  claim 25  further comprising a water transfer component, wherein said water transfer component transfers water produced by said microbial fuel cell to a water collection device or to the external environment. 
     
     
         36 . The microbial fuel cell of  claim 25  further comprising a hydrogen transfer component. 
     
     
         37 . The microbial fuel cell of  claim 36  further comprising a hydrogen fuel cell. 
     
     
         38 . A bio-remedial system comprising a microbial fuel cell of  claim 25  wherein said transgenic bacterial cell utilizes a predetermined compound as a feedstock and said cell converts said predetermined compound into a second compound.