Bacteria from the Gemmatimonas genus

Gemmatimonas bacteria have very intense orange, pink or reddish colours. Gemmatimonas aurantiaca is even as orange as carrots because it makes a similar dyestuff, a so-called pigment, like carrots. This colourful pigment takes up excess light energy and thus protects the bacterium from harmful sunlight – just like its own sunscreen.

Another interesting feature of Gemmatimonas bacteria is their way of growing and dividing: Usually, bacteria divide straight in the middle. They extend their cell bodies, eventually making two equal daughter cells from one mother cell.

But not Gemmatimonas bacteria! They grow their daughter cells as budding bodies like additional heads.