Electrical signalling beyond diffusion-limited microbial interactions.

Electrical signalling extends microbial interactions beyond diffusion limits, with a measurable "handover distance" that links electrophysiology to ecological communication.

• Why it matters: Understanding microbial communication is crucial for revealing how microbes coordinate and adapt in complex environments, yet current models focus mainly on chemical signals.
• What they did: The authors explore ion-driven electrical signalling and extracellular electron transport as distinct mechanisms mediating microbial interactions, introducing the concept of handover distance as a measurable interaction range.
• The result: This work highlights bioelectricity as an underrecognized but vital component of microbial ecology, enabling interactions over spatial scales beyond chemical diffusion and opening new avenues for ecological research.