It contains a toxin which has been shown to kill a wide variety of pests. The bacterial toxin can be concentrated for use as an insecticide spray. In Saskatoon, Mycogen Corp. is a leader in the technology of engineering plants to contain natural insect resistance. Microbes in the Environment Cleaning up environmental pollutants like oil, gas and heavy metals is a considerable challenge. However, biotechnology is coming to the aid of the environment through the development of bioremediation and biosorption , the use of living organisms to return the environment to its natural state.
Some microbes have an appetite for gas, oil or other toxic chemicals.
When the chemicals are degraded or absorbed and accumulated by the microbes, the chemicals' structure can undergo changes. With the use of the right microbes, toxic, and sometimes explosive, materials can be converted into something harmless, like water and carbon dioxide. To make some microbes more efficient at breaking down chemicals, genetic engineering is used to add new information to the microbes' genetic make-up. New genetic information can also be added so that the microbe attacks a new or different chemical. Once scientists have determined which microbes they need to use to tackle an environmental problem, they need to grow the microbes in large numbers.