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Microbe Inside Sea Squirts Makes Big Splash
Scientists discovered the bacterium Prochloron didemnii has the necessary genes to produce patellamides, compounds that may one day be used in cancer treatment. They were also able to transfer the patellamide genes to the laboratory workhorse bacterium, Escherichia coli, directing it to biosynthesize the product.
This image accompanied NSF press release, "Little Microbe Inside Sea Squirt Makes Big Splash."
Credit: Nicolle Rager Fuller, National Science Foundation
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