The potential of bacterial microcompartment architectures for phytonanotechnology
Daniel A. Raba
MSU-DOE Plant Research Laboratory, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
Search for more papers by this authorCorresponding 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]
Search for more papers by this authorDaniel A. Raba
MSU-DOE Plant Research Laboratory, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
Search for more papers by this authorCorresponding 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]
Search for more papers by this authorFunding 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.
Open Research
DATA AVAILABILITY STATEMENT
Data sharing is not applicable to this article as no new data were created or analyzed in this study.
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