Bacteria to wear protection

Bacteria can contribute to a more sustainable production of chemicals, so providing a good working environment for them is a good investment. Now SDU- researchers present a nano protection suit, developed for bacteria, in Nature Communications. Every day, chemical factories produce a wide range of products that will be extremely difficult to do without in a modern society; everything from medicines like insulin and antibiotics to fertilizers. The basis of such products often consists of bacteria, which can produce chemicals and drugs in an efficient way while generating no toxic side products, thus appealing for the environment and sustainability. One major challenge for these hardworking bacteria is that may need to be exposed to different stressors in order to produce the desired product: some bacteria need exposure to high heat, others to high pH values and still others to organic solvents. Even though industrial bacteria are tough, this often leads to their death and eventually low efficiency. More robust bacteria.