Scientists Develop Bacteria That Produce Gold

Frank Reith from the University of Adelaide and his team to modify a type of bacteria genetically. Once modified, these bacteria can produce extract gold from the environment and the precious metal in the vicinity.

There are several bacteria that are associated with known gold material. But it is still not clear whether the bacteria played a role in the gold produced or not.

Reith and his team found that gold is now apparently hurt late for one type of bacteria called Cupriavidus Metallidurans.

"Materials gold could inhibit bacterial enzyme function. We met with the gold material, microbial gene activates the 'golden poison'. This gene produces an enzyme that can change the soluble gold compounds into metallic gold particles that can damage the bacteria," Reith was quoted as saying by the Times of India, Tuesday (13/10/2009).

Reith and his team then see this as an opportunity for a lucrative new technique.

"When microbes exposed to contact with the substance of gold, they took out the light that can be detected use traditional hand-held Photometer," Reith said.

By genetically modifying the bacteria and the use of light detected on the Photometer, loss of bacteria turned into an advantage to produce gold from base metal material around the bacteria.