Minor Actinides Can Replace Essential Lanthanides in Bacterial Life

Exploring new fields: Lanthanide-using bacteria that turn over methane or methanol in their metabolism can replace essential lanthanides by certain actinides. In Research Article (e202303669), Lena J. Daumann et al. show an extremophile isolated from a volcanic mud-pot as well methylotrophic laboratory strain use americium and curium. vivo growth experiments vitro studies with the key metabolic enzyme dehydrogenase support these actinides sustain one-carbon of bacteria.