Microbial Factories

By Arianna Otoo '21

The often negative predisposition to bacteria is common; however, it is an intrinsic quality of the human race to be dependent on bacteria. They allow for the execution of many bodily functions, acting as more than simply infectious, miniscule beings. To the extent of serving the average human, bacteria are helpful, but when genetically engineered to carry out various functions as microbial factories, bacteria can, quite literally, change the world. Microbes, tiny organisms containing bacteria and other even smaller microorganisms, can be genetically engineered as microbial factories and used to biologically harvest or create a product, providing a method of circumventing the tedious and circuitous process that is chemically creating a compound.

To explicate further, in need of a chemical substance, microbial factories possess the capability of producing said substance through efficient fructification methods, without error or complication, implementing efficacy that is coveted by the human race. Scientists can then alter the genetic code of the microbe to enhance its properties and lucrativity (i.e., enhancing the microbe in a way that allows it to produce an output thousands of times its normalcy). Given that the microbes must efficiently produce these compounds in a way that allows them to live efficiently, their production of these substances lacks mistakes akin to human error, as well as any other possible toxins.

What significance does this bear for humanity? Discarding the stigma of being detrimental to one’s health, microbes, and more specifically, microbial factories, have the potential to revolutionize our lives in an insurmountable number of ways. Though microbial factories have been in use for thousands of years, they are starting to be exploited by scientists in ways that have introduced a new frontier of resource management and production. The crux of the world’s challenge revolves around having a finite amount of natural resources, and the newfound ability to produce said resources so facilely has turned the demise of our civilization into an asset.

Through the process of genetic modification, the bacteria Methanococcus jannaschii has been altered to take in carbon dioxide and produce methane gas, an energy source. It is possible for this infinitesimal being to not only pare down the effect of a gas, so abundantly created and so noxious in excess, detrimental to our environment, but to also excrete methane, a fuel source. With the ability to remedy the many cases of energy deficiency while cleansing the environment, this bacteria has covetable capability.

The utilization of this technology is also manifested by the FluDOC, a device that employs the sensitivity of a light-emitting bacteria to influenza, in order to diagnose the user with influenza if the virus is present in their system. As the user inputs a saliva sample, the light-producing bacteria in the FluDOC stop producing light if the influenza virus is present in the saliva, and stay alive if the saliva does not contain influenza. This additionally displays the flexibility of microbial factories and plethora of uses they have---rather than taking a substance in and releasing a different product out, this device ceases to produce an output given a certain input.

Definitively, microbial factories have the potential to direct our existence to an increasingly dynamic one, allowing us to capitalize on bacteria, so prominent in our world that one could easily disregard their aptitude. The prospect of such organisms being overlooked for thousands of years seems comical, though, scientists are quickly progressing. In today’s world, the prospect of an existence full of bacteria doesn’t appear as intimidating, and when taken advantage of, microorganisms can lead us to a better life.

Hartsock, Angela. “Microbial Factories: Using Bacteria to Make Specific Compounds.”Study.com, Study.com, study.com/academy/lesson/microbial-factories-using-bacteria-to-make-specific-proteins.html.

Trafton, Anne. “Microbial Factories: Researchers Harness Bacteria to Produce Energy, Clean up Environment.” PhysOrg, Science X Network, 17 Feb. 2009, phys.org/news/2009-02-microbial-factories-harness-bacteria-energy.html.

Mensvoort, Koert van. “Bacteria That Turn CO2 into Energy.” Next Nature Network, 12 Jan. 2016, www.nextnature.net/2009/09/bacteria-that-turn-co2-into-energy/.

Mensvoort, Koert van. “FluDOC – Glowing Bacteria Show If You Have Influenza.” Next Nature Network, 12 Jan. 2016, www.nextnature.net/2010/05/fludoc-glowing-bacteria-tell-if-you-have-flue/.