‘Synthetic biology is really exciting because we can produce some important and useful products that can be difficult and expensive to make using traditional chemistry techniques, explains Professor Martin Warren (right) at the Biosciences school of Kent University "Bacteria can make these things very easily and in large quantities if we develop bacteria with the right characteristics to do so efficiently.

‘What we often do is to make sure that the desired product is made in one or more tiny compartments that already exist inside the bacteria. This means that the process doesn’t get caught up or slowed down by everything else going on in the cell and so is much more efficient."

It is envisaged these micro-compartments (left) could be modified for synthesis of ethanol or even hydrogen gas, that could reduce the human need for many oil-derived products, including certain medicines.

Currently the team is focused on ways to produce new antibiotics within the compartments.

Michael Prentice, (right) Professor of Medical Microbiology at the University College Cork, said: ‘Using these compartments, simple bacteria like E.coli can make chemicals that would normally be deadly for them. The bacteria are partially protected because the chemicals are being made within compartments inside their cells. We are working on ways to use these ‘factories’ to produce substances that will kill other harmful bacteria.’

The research ‘Synthesis  of Empty Bacterial Microcompartments.." was funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) and Science Foundation Ireland and is published in Molecular Cell.