Researchers have discovered how the marine bacterium Alcanivorax borkumensis creates a substance that acts like an "organic dishwashing liquid." This natural detergent enables the bacterium to attach to oil droplets, speeding up the breakdown of oil spills.
The study, involving scientists from multiple universities and research centers, pinpointed a gene cluster responsible for producing this detergent. When these genes were turned off, the bacteria's ability to stick to oil droplets was greatly reduced, which affected oil absorption and growth.
Jiaxin Cui, a doctoral student, mapped the synthetic pathway, showing that three enzymes are involved in the detergent's production. By transferring these genes to a different bacterium, they were able to produce the same detergent. These findings could lead to the creation of more effective oil-degrading bacterial strains and potential biotech uses for microbial production of key chemical compounds from hydrocarbons.