Researchers genetically modified Moorella thermoacetica bacteria to produce cadmium sulfide nanoparticles on their surfaces, creating cyborg bacteria called Moorella thermoacetica-CdS. These nanoparticles function as solar panels, allowing the bacteria to use sunlight to produce acetic acid from carbon dioxide and water more efficiently than natural photosynthesis. The cyborg bacteria are a self-replicating source of fuels and plastics using solar energy and could be grown at a lower cost than manufactured solar panels.

1. SUBMITTED TO: SUBMITTED BY:
Er. RINALDO JOHN ANIKESH Kr. SINGH
P.ID. : 14BSMBH017
B.Sc.(H) MICROBIOLOGY
7th SEMESTER

2. INTRODUCTION
 The word cyborg was invented when we
started to imagine giving people super-
human capabilities by integrating
mechanical or electrical equipment into
biological systems.
 Think of Darth Vader, Iron Man, or the 6
Million Dollar Man as concept studies.

3.  Moorella thermoacetica a bacterium is used
as cyborg to creat a new revolution in fuel
production and pollution control by Kelsey K.
Sakimoto in Yang's lab at the University of
California, Berkeley.
 This bacteria resides at the bottom of very still
swamps, silently breathing in carbon dioxide
and excreting acetic acid.
 M. thermoacetica is a model acetogen & also
the 1st acetogen to be mapped.

4. Cont…
 They are gram(+)ve and rod shaped
baceria.
 They ranging in size from 0.4-2.8µm.
 In nature they are found in soil, at the
bottom of stagnant pond.
 The bacterium is thermophile, growing at
58 ⁰C.
 It is anaerobic.

5. How a normal bacteria
changed into cyborg
bacteria?
 After combing through old microbiology
literature, researchers realised that some bugs
have a natural defence to cadmium, mercury or
lead that lets them turn the heavy metal into a
sulphide which the bacteria express as a tiny,
crystal semiconductor on their surfaces.
 Normally, Moorella thermoacetica uses carbon
dioxide to produce acetic acid, which can
eventually be turned into fuels and plastics.

8. Cont…
 To produce his cyborg bacteria, Kelsey K.
Sakimoto fed them the amino acid cysteine and
the element cadmium.
 The bacteria then synthesised cadmium sulfide
(CdS) nanoparticles, which efficiently absorb
light, functioning as solar panels on the
bacteria's surfaces.
 The new hybrid organism, called Moorella
thermoacetica-CdS, produces useful acetic acid
from light energy, water, and CO2 at a rate that
outperforms any sources of natural
photosynthesis.

10. ADVANTAGES
 This bacteria are much more efficient
than chlorophyll at converting sunlight
into useful compounds.
 They can be grown at a fraction of the
cost of manufactured solar panels.
 They operate at an efficiency of more
than 80 percent.

11. Cont…
 They are both self-replicating and self-
regenerating, making this a zero-waste
technology with multiple uses.
 Once covered with these tiny solar
panels, the bacteria can synthesize food,
fuels, and plastics, all using solar energy.

12. REFERENCES
 www.sciencedaily.com
 www.bbc.com
 www.sciencealert.com
 www.treehugger.com