A NEWLY-DISCOVERED enzyme may one day see bacteria enlisted in the fight against nuclear waste.Bacteria use the enzyme L-lactate dehydrogenase to break down lactate,a bacterial food source;some bacteria chemically modify meals in the process.Usually,this enzyme is formed by one protein,but when researchers were searching for specific gene coding for its synthesis they were unable to find it.Instead,in Shewanella oneidensi,the enzyme is made up of three proteins coded by different genes.This allows the bacteria to modify many different types of metals.
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