Move over, Midas. A genetically modified version of a bacterium that extracts gold from its environment can signal the presence of the precious metal. The result could be a boon for prospectors.rnSome bacteria have long been known to be associated with gold deposits, but it has been unclear whether they play a role in its production - and if so, how they do it. Now Frank Reith of the University of Adelaide, South Australia, has found that dissolved gold is harmful to the bacterium Cupriavidus metaHidurans, as it forms a toxic, sulphur-containing compound when it is absorbed from the environment.
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