The discovery happened while examining the solid waste of PJSC Kazanorgsintez.
This new bacterial culture (Pseudomonas stutzeri KOS6) is unique in its resistance to oil toxic waste and heavy metals. Furthermore, this strain is able to reduce nitrogen molecules to the form that is suitable for supporting biological activity.
Proteomics researcher Tatiana Grigoryeva says, “This is the strain's competitive advantage over other patented cultures. Earlier strains were found in sea water or soils, whereas our one is from the concentrated chemical waste, it can survive there and is therefore unique”.
This is not the only plus, however.
Junior Researcher Aleksander Laykov explains that the culture already has a full set of properties that allows it to stimulate the growth
of plants in a hostile environment. No genetic engineering is needed in this case. The nature itself created a stable, self-replicating and well-adjusted specimen that is of great biotechnological importance.
The research is ongoing. Now the scientists try to find out what caused these particular bacteria to evolve into such a resistant form. The genome was sequenced, the results of that sequencing were published in a paper in GenomeAnnouncements (part of the Bacteriology journal). The patent was registered in 2014, currently another paper on the genome analysis is being prepared. There are also some preliminary negotiations on the possible commercial use of this project.