Bacteria eat toxic metals and produce gold
No other life form on the planet is not infiltrated our environment as successful as tiny single-celled bacteria. Among millions of roles that different species have on Earth, it appears that some microbes are experts in clearing precious metals .
An international team of researchers has found how a bacterium metaloyadna, Cupriavidus metallidurans, able to accept toxic metal compounds and not just to thrive, but also took some goldbits as a side effect of the toxic breakfast. Like many other elements, gold can pass through etc. biogeochemical cycle, during which it dissolves, carries around and finally concentrate again in sedimentary rocks on Earth. Microbes are involved in each step of the process that has led scientists to check whether they are poisoned by highly toxic compounds that gold ions normally form in the soil. Well, not Cupriavidus metallidurans - she managed somehow to "bold" gold-toxic compounds and convert them into metal form of the element, apparently without any threat to the life of the organism.
source:www.obekti.bg
That is very cool. Isn't it amazing how microbes can adapt to their environment. They not only live, but thrive in the harshest conditions on our planet.
I remember when Thermos Aquaticus was found living in boiling water pools. Then scientist were able to use enzymes from this bacteria (Taq) to promote polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to create many DNA copies for further research. Cool huh 😀
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