How Scientists Created Bacteria That Eat Oil Spills

A 1981 patent for genetically engineered bacteria capable of breaking down multiple types of oil, which became the first living organism ever patented.

What it covers

The patent describes a method for creating bacteria from the genus Pseudomonas that contain multiple stable 'plasmids.' These plasmids act like genetic toolkits, each providing the bacteria with a specific pathway to break down different types of hydrocarbons found in crude oil. By combining these plasmids into a single cell, the bacteria can digest a wider variety of oil components than they could in nature. For example, a single bacterium can be engineered to simultaneously possess the genetic instructions to degrade camphor, octane, salicylate, and naphthalene.

What it doesn't cover

• —Does not cover naturally occurring bacteria that have not been genetically modified to contain multiple stable plasmids.
• —Does not cover the degradation of non-hydrocarbon pollutants like heavy metals or plastics.
• —Does not cover methods of oil cleanup that do not involve the use of these specific multi-plasmid Pseudomonas strains.
• —Does not cover genetic engineering techniques applied to organisms outside the genus Pseudomonas.

The clever bit

The innovation was finding a way to make multiple, normally incompatible plasmids coexist stably within a single bacterial cell, essentially creating a 'super-eater' that doesn't discard its new genetic instructions.

Why it matters

This patent is the foundation of modern biotechnology law. It led to the landmark Supreme Court case Diamond v. Chakrabarty, which ruled that a live, human-made micro-organism is patentable subject matter. This decision effectively opened the floodgates for the multi-billion dollar biotech industry by confirming that companies could own the rights to genetically modified life forms.

Real-world examples

• 1.Bioremediation agents for cleaning up oil spills in marine environments
• 2.Experimental oil-degrading bacterial cultures used in environmental cleanup research