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Engineering nanoreactors using bacterial microcompartment architectures
Jefferson S Plegaria1, Cheryl A Kerfeld2
1MSU-DOE Plant Research Laboratory, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA.
Current Opinion in Biotechnology
|October 17, 2017
Summary
Bioengineers are advancing bacterial microcompartments (BMCs), which are protein-based nanoreactors. Recent work focuses on transferring BMC gene clusters, creating empty shells, and encapsulating new enzymes in different organisms.
Area of Science:
- Biochemistry
- Molecular Biology
- Synthetic Biology
Background:
- Bacterial microcompartments (BMCs) are protein-based organelles crucial for metabolic processes like CO2 fixation and carbon catabolism.
- These organelles feature a selectively permeable protein shell enclosing specific enzymes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review recent advancements in the bioengineering of BMCs.
- To highlight the successful transfer and expression of BMC gene clusters in heterologous systems.
- To showcase the production of empty BMC shells and the encapsulation of non-native enzymes.
Main Methods:
- Transferring and expressing native BMC gene clusters in heterologous hosts.
- Developing methods for producing template-empty BMC shells.
- Engineering the encapsulation of non-native enzymes within BMCs.
Main Results:
- Demonstrated successful heterologous expression of BMC gene clusters.
- Established protocols for generating functional, empty BMC shells.
- Achieved encapsulation of engineered, non-native enzymes within BMCs, creating novel nanoreactors.
Conclusions:
- BMCs can be effectively bioengineered in heterologous systems.
- These engineered BMCs hold potential as versatile protein-based nanoreactors for various applications.
- Further research can expand the utility of BMCs through advanced bioengineering strategies.