Bacterial biofilms for production of new self-healing materials and bioprocessing technologies The team genetically fused a protein with a particular desired function – for example, one known to adhere to steel – onto a small protein called CsgA that is already produced by E. coli bacteria. The appended domain then went along for the ride through the natural process by which CsgA gets secreted outside the cell, where it self-assembled into supertough proteins called amyloid nanofibers. These amyloid proteins retained the functionality of the added protein – ensuring in this case that the biofilm adhered to steel. Amyloid proteins traditionally get a bad rap for their role in causing tremendous health challenges such as Alzheimers disease, but in this case their role is fundamental to making BIND so robust. These amyloids can spontaneously assemble into fibers that, by weight, are stronger than steel and stiffer than silk. Researchers reported the proof-of-concept in Nature Communications.
Posted on: Thu, 18 Sep 2014 12:21:12 +0000
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