Path to power: long-range quinone transport fuels microbial respiration

Microbes are found many different environments, including extreme ones, where nutrients are often limited or fluctuating. To survive and grow, most microbes use specialised enzymes that break down nutrients and release electrons. These electrons are then transferred to the cell membrane to power energy generation. This thesis investigates a novel way that many microbes transfer electrons from these enzymes to the membrane. Considering microbes play a vital role in both environmental and human health, understanding how they generate energy is essential to understanding how they survive.