Giant, long-lived bacteria could make microbial farms more productive
By 
Katrina Krämer2020-02-05T09:30:00
Biochemical production could be boosted using Escherichia coli engineered to grow to 13 times their usual size
Bacteria that have been genetically engineered to grow 13 times bigger and live 66% longer than their unmodified cousins could be the stars of future biochemicals factories.
Genetically engineered or traditionally bred microorganisms are already used to produce pharmaceuticals like human growth hormone or insulin. But they could also be made to produce more basic chemicals, like fuels and polymers, from renewable feedstocks.