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Updated: Jul 23, 2025

The Multifaceted Benefits of Protein Co-expression in Escherichia coli
Published on: February 5, 2015
An Outer Membrane-Inspired Polymer Coating Protects and Endows Escherichia coli with Novel Functionalities
Andrea Belluati1,2, Iain Harley3, Ingo Lieberwirth3
1Department of Chemistry and Centre for Synthetic Biology, Technical University of Darmstadt, Peter-Grünberg-Straße 4, 64287, Darmstadt, Germany.
Abstract:
A bio-inspired membrane made of Pluronic L-121 is produced around Escherichia coli thanks to the simple co-extrusion of bacteria and polymer vesicles. The block copolymer-coated bacteria can withstand various harsh shocks, for example, temperature, pressure, osmolarity, and chemical agents. The polymer membrane also makes the bacteria resistant to enzymatic digestion and enables them to degrade toxic compounds, improving their performance as whole-cell biocatalysts. Moreover, the polymer membrane acts as an anchor layer for the surface modification of the bacteria. Being decorated with α-amylase or lysozyme, the cells are endowed with the ability to digest starch or self-predatory bacteria are created. Thus, without any genetic engineering, the phenotype of encapsulated bacteria is changed as they become sturdier and gain novel metabolic functionalities.
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