Phys.org December 16, 2024
Conventional methods used to produce these microparticle components frequently offer limited control of their structural properties or require low-throughput nanofabrication of more complex structures. An international team of researchers (USA – University of Rochester, University of Colorado, the Netherlands) used a synthetic biology approach to produce environmentally friendly, living microlenses with tunable structural properties. They engineered Escherichia coli bacteria to display the silica biomineralization enzyme silicate from aquatic sea sponges which could self-assemble a shell of polysilicate “bioglass” around themselves. The bacteria could focus light into intense nanojets that were nearly an order of magnitude brighter than unmodified bacteria. Polysilicate-encapsulated bacteria were metabolically active for up to 4 months, potentially allowing them to sense and respond to stimuli over time. According to the researchers their data demonstrated that synthetic biology offers a pathway for producing inexpensive and durable photonic components that exhibit unique optical properties… read more. TECHNICAL ARTICLE
The glass-coated bacteria cells focus light into very bright beams… Credit: University of Rochester photo / The Meyer Lab