Volume 14, Issue 5 p. 700-710
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The potential of bacterial microcompartment architectures for phytonanotechnology

Daniel A. Raba

Daniel A. Raba

MSU-DOE Plant Research Laboratory, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA

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Cheryl A. Kerfeld

Corresponding Author

Cheryl A. Kerfeld

MSU-DOE Plant Research Laboratory, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA

Environmental Genomics and Systems Biology and Molecular Biophysics and Integrated Bioimaging Divisions, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California, USA

Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA

Correspondence

Cheryl A. Kerfeld, MSU-DOE Plant Research Laboratory, Michigan State University, 612 Wilson Road, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA.

Email: [email protected]

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First published: 19 July 2022
Citations: 2

Funding information: AgBioResearch, Michigan State University; Office of Science of the US Department of Energy, Grant/Award Number: DE-FG02-91ER20021

Abstract

The application of nanotechnology to plants, termed phytonanotechnology, has the potential to revolutionize plant research and agricultural production. Advancements in phytonanotechnology will allow for the time-controlled and target-specific release of bioactive compounds and agrochemicals to alter and optimize conventional plant production systems. A diverse range of engineered nanoparticles with unique physiochemical properties is currently being investigated to determine their suitability for plants. Improvements in crop yield, disease resistance and nutrient and pesticide management are all possible using designed nanocarriers. However, despite these prospective benefits, research to thoroughly understand the precise activity, localization and potential phytotoxicity of these nanoparticles within plant systems is required. Protein-based bacterial microcompartment shell proteins that self-assemble into spherical shells, nanotubes and sheets could be of immense value for phytonanotechnology due to their ease of manipulation, multifunctionality, rapid and efficient producibility and biodegradability. In this review, we explore bacterial microcompartment-based architectures within the scope of phytonanotechnology.

CONFLICT OF INTEREST

The authors have declared no conflict of interest.

DATA AVAILABILITY STATEMENT

Data sharing is not applicable to this article as no new data were created or analyzed in this study.