1. Butterfly wings, the colourful feathers of a peacock or the iridescence of a hummingbird. These #bacteria could produce non-toxic paints of all the colours in nature🍃🖌️

There are some colours in nature that we have never been able to replicate, like the iridescent colours of butterflies. They are not pigments, but instead the result of tiny structures of the organisms scattering the light.  Now, thanks to the work of researches from the University of Cambridge and a Dutch biotech company we know the secrets behind these colours. They have found the genetic code responsible for these structural colours. Discover more about their study and its possible applications here.

2. Feeling hungry but overweight? These #bacteria could end your problems by regulating your appetite! 

A five-year project has shown that there is a link between gut bacteria and our disposition for obesity. Some bacteria can regulate the hormones that control our appetite and we could use them to prevent the harmful effects of obesity. Also, during this period, it’s been shown that other gut bacteria can reduce depression symptoms too. So, the study of gut bacteria could lead to potential treatments for these and other health problems. Find more information>

3. Discover nine new bacteria compounds!🔬This technique allows to speed up the study of bacteria secondary metabolites that could be potential drugs 💊

A high percentage of new drugs are made from natural metabolites found in bacteria. However, sometimes it is hard to find these compounds because bacteria only synthesize them when they need them. These researches have found a way to reveal those hidden compounds! Their technique allows to speed up their search and thus, find new potential drugs quicker. Read more>

4. Electric news!⚡ A novel technique for selecting the perfect bacteria to generate electricity. 

Did you know that some bacteria can generate electricity? It is due to a particular breathing system, they excrete electrons when they are in oxygen-deprived environments. This feature could have potential as a source of sustainable electricity, but first, we need to understand it well. Now, researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have found a way to assess the bacteria’s electrochemical activity. Discover more about it here.

5. What’s the time? Maybe the moment to replace our old watches! ⌚️@omegawatches and the #synbio company #AMSilk have created the watch of the future! 

A collaboration between the Swiss luxury watchmaking OMEGA and a German synbio company has left us with the first watch made of synthetic spider silk. Now, it is possible for us, as consumers, to buy it! The material is very resistant, flexible and lightweight Moreover, it doesn’t cause skin allergies. Do you feel now that our watches are a little outdated? Read more>

6. ❤️ “ I will be your Rose…you will be my Jack ” And meanwhile…these #bacteria are eating the Titanic up! #HappyValentinesDay ❤️ #AwesomeMicrobes

That is how we celebrated Valentines Day in BactToTheFuture!

 

7. Bacterial artists! We challenge you! Do you dare to draw David Bowie using #bacteria? Show us your beautiful results 😍 #AgarArtChallenge

We want to challenge agar artists with our new section! We can’t wait to see their creations!

 

8. How amazing are the advances of #synbio and how sad is that a lot of people are missing them! We have to change this. Communicating is also an important part of the process!  

In the last years, the field of synthetic biology has achieved great advances. But, as we have progressed in some aspects, we haven’t done it when it comes to sharing our work. Maybe, it is because we still don’t know the benefits of communicating. But, exchanging our results, materials or technologies with each other we ensure our work fits with other’s innovations. It is also a way to protect and ensure our property rights. Read more>

9. On the road to a sustainable future? These #bacteria can transform the residual heat into electricity!⚡

Researchers from the Institute of Material Science of Barcelona have developed a sustainable thermoelectric paper. The device is composed of carbon nanotubes embedded in cellulose that has been synthesized by bacteria. It can transform the residual heat into electricity and its materials are not toxic for the environment. So, this discovery could represent the first step towards a new sustainable way to generate electricity. Discover more>

10. Some advances in synthetic biology take our breath away. We have prepared this #quiz for you, how much do you know about #Synbio? #SynbioQuiz

And these are the results of our quiz! 61% Land-mines detector, 32% Ice-cream maker and 7% You gotta be kidding me…

You were right guys! 🙌🎉 They are land-mine detectors! Researchers from the Spanish National Centre for Biotechnology achieved that modified Pseudomonas putida could detect specific traces of TNT (present in land-mines). Adding also genes of other species responsible for making them glow in the dark, they found a new mechanism for land-mines detection. When the bacteria are close to TNT they glow and thus we can know where the land-mine is located. Discover more about the project here.