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Urease-Mediated Reversible Calcium Carbonate Mineralization for Single Living Yeast Cell Nanoencapsulation.
Rong Wang1, Yuxin Zhang1, Kanglei Wang1
1State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, 100029, China.
Small (Weinheim an Der Bergstrasse, Germany)
|September 10, 2025
Summary
Researchers developed reversible CaCO3 mineralization for yeast cell nanoencapsulation using urease. This creates functional, multi-use single-cell factories for bioengineering applications.
Area of Science:
- Biotechnology
- Materials Science
- Synthetic Biology
Background:
- Cell-surface engineering offers functionalization and protection but often results in irreversible shells.
- Existing methods lack reversibility and multifunctionality, limiting applications in bioengineering.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a facile strategy for enzyme-catalyzed reversible CaCO3 mineralization for single living yeast cell nanoencapsulation.
- To create multifunctional, reversible shells for engineered single-cell factories.
Main Methods:
- Covalent immobilization of urease onto yeast cell surfaces using poly(sodium acrylate).
- Enzyme-catalyzed CaCO3 mineralization via urea hydrolysis and CaCl2 coprecipitation.
- Reversible mineralization achieved through EDTA-induced decomposition and urease-induced remineralization.
Main Results:
- Successful reversible CaCO3 mineralization of single living yeast cells.
- Demonstrated multifunctionality of the shell with encapsulated urease providing catalytic sites.
- Established a nanoscale tool for structural modification of single cells.
Conclusions:
- The strategy enables enzyme-catalyzed reversible mineralization for single-cell nanoencapsulation.
- The developed method provides a versatile approach for constructing multifunctional shells.
- This offers potential for creating advanced single-cell factories in bioengineering and bio-manufacturing.
