Microbe has Midas touch.

"They use dissolved metals like iron, uranium and gold the same way we use oxygen," Lovley said.

The conversion that takes place in the extremophile is a simple process: a dissolved metal is absorbed through an enzyme that coats the microbe, and then is excreted as a solid.

doesn't sound like the gold is being used in cellular respiration, so it's not used the "same way we use oxygen." this guy's a scientist? no wonder the world sucks.