Cable bacteria contain highly conductive periplasmic fibers (PCF) and use them for intercel-lular long-distance electron transfer. Molecular principles of intercellular electron transport are still unclear; PCF are likely based on a protein backbone loaded with an unprecedented nickel-ligating cofactor. Published data indicate that the cofactor resembles synthetic nickel(II) bis-dithiolene polymers, but there is a lack of experimental atomic structure. Iden-tifying the highly effective nickel-based bioconductor and its interacting proteins is significant for understanding long-distance electron transfer and the division of labor in these multicel-lular prokaryotes. Revealing the PCF structure has potential applications for designing fiber polymers, conductive biomaterials, and biodegradable electronics.
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