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Secondary metabolism

When bacteria and microbes find themselves in environments rich with food, they don’t just focus on basic survival. Instead, they go into a kind of luxury mode; the so-called secondary metabolism.

Bacteria first use the available nutrients for their basic needs—growing and reproducing. When there are nutrients and energy left over, they switch to secondary metabolism. With this excess energy, bacteria produce a wide range of complex molecules. These can include pigments to protect against sunlight, antibiotics to fight off competing microbes, or even substances that help them communicate with or kill each other. These secondary metabolites often help bacteria survive challenging conditions, compete with other microorganisms, or interact with their surroundings in beneficial ways.

For example, during cocoa fermentation, bacteria start secondary metabolism and produce compounds that contribute to chocolate’s unique flavour, taste and health benefits. Many antibiotics and colourful pigments are also bacterial secondary metabolites.

Introducing the microbiology colouring book "Coloured Bacteria from A to Z" to explore the microbial and bacterial world.

How bacteria create the smells in our world

Bacteria create various smells in our world, from pleasant aromas like freshly baked bread to the less appealing ones like body odour. As bacteria produce volatile organic compounds as part of their metabolism, these contribute to the scents we encounter in our environment, food and even on our bodies. Learn about smelly examples such as the earthy scent of geosmin produced by soil bacteria, the unique aromas in fermented foods and the role of skin bacteria in creating our body odour and smelly feet.

Bacteria produce green bio-plastics

Producing plastics requires a lot of energy, which is a massive burden for the environment. Fortunately, bacteria already know how to make sustainable versions of plastics which we can use in our everyday life. Learn why bacteria produce natural plastics and why these molecules can help us save this planet.

Springtail are attracted to the geosmin produced by Streptomyces bacteria. They eat the bacteria and transport them to new places.

Bacteria produce geosmin to trick bugs into hitchhiking

Bacteria produce many different molecules with unique tastes and smells. We and animals can react in specific ways to the bacterial molecules, however it is not always clear how these molecules actually help the bacteria. A new study focused on one such molecules and revealed that bacteria produce geosmin to attract small animals to use them to hitchhike.

Cocoa fermentation involves many different bacteria and fungi

Bacteria are responsible for the delicious chocolate taste

The bacteria and fungi living on cocoa beans degrade the sugars in the fruit. With this fermentation, the so-called cocobiota produces metabolites that give chocolate its delicious taste. Read about the microbes that are part of the cocobiota and why chocolate tastes the way it does.

Chromombacterium transports violacein within outer membrane vesicles to kill other bacteria

Bacteria firing toxic bubbles

Bacteria can form outer membrane vesicles and fill them with antibiotics. They then send these toxic bubbles off to kill competing bacteria.

When bacteria and microbes find themselves in environments rich with food, they don’t just focus on basic survival. Instead, they go into a kind of luxury mode; the so-called secondary metabolism.

Bacteria first use the available nutrients for their basic needs—growing and reproducing. When there are nutrients and energy left over, they switch to secondary metabolism. With this excess energy, bacteria produce a wide range of complex molecules. These can include pigments to protect against sunlight, antibiotics to fight off competing microbes, or even substances that help them communicate with or kill each other. These secondary metabolites often help bacteria survive challenging conditions, compete with other microorganisms, or interact with their surroundings in beneficial ways.

For example, during cocoa fermentation, bacteria start secondary metabolism and produce compounds that contribute to chocolate’s unique flavour, taste and health benefits. Many antibiotics and colourful pigments are also bacterial secondary metabolites.

Introducing the microbiology colouring book "Coloured Bacteria from A to Z" to explore the microbial and bacterial world.

Learn more about the fascinating world of bacteria

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Animals Antibiotics Antimicrobial resistance Bacterial communication Bacterial interactions Bacterial membrane Bacterial movement Bacterial multicellularity Bacterial stress response Biofilms Chemotaxis Extremophiles Food microbiology Fungi Health Human body Immune system Microbial communities Microbial fermentation Physiology Plants Quorum sensing Secondary metabolism Short-chain fatty acids Sporulation Toxins Virus

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