Microbial Biosynthesis of Semiconductor Nanoparticles

Microbial biosynthesis of semiconductor nanoparticles harnesses the intrinsic metabolic pathways of bacteria, fungi and yeasts to produce nanoscale semiconductor materials, notably cadmium and zinc chalcogenides. In contrast to conventional physicochemical routes, biological systems operate under mild conditions, consume less energy and generate fewer hazardous by-products, offering a sustainable alternative for quantum dot production. Microorganisms mediate metal ion uptake, reduction and nucleation through enzymatic redox processes or via functional biomolecules such as peptides, polysaccharides and glutathione. The resulting nanoparticles often display narrow size distributions, tunable optical properties and biocompatible surface coatings imparted by microbial exudates. Recent advances have elucidated cellular strategies for nanoparticle assembly, including compartmentalisation within periplasmic spaces, secretion in membrane vesicles and active transport into specialised minicells. These developments pave the way for scalable biomanufacturing of optoelectronic materials with applications in bioimaging, sensing, photocatalysis and environmental remediation. Integration of synthetic biology and metabolic engineering now enables enhanced yield, precise size control and heterostructure formation, while ongoing research seeks to expand the repertoire of microbial hosts and semiconductor compositions.

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Microbial Biosynthesis of Semiconductor Nanoparticles publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in microbial biosynthesis of semiconductor nanoparticles across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Quantum dot: A semiconductor nanoparticle exhibiting size-dependent optical and electronic properties due to quantum confinement.

Biosynthesis: The enzymatic or metabolic process by which living organisms produce complex compounds from simpler precursors.

Chalcogenide: A compound formed between chalcogen elements (such as sulphur, selenium) and metals, often used in semiconductor materials.

Bioreduction: The enzymatic reduction of metal ions to zero-valent or lower oxidation states, initiating nanoparticle nucleation.

Minicell: A small, anucleate derivative of bacterial cells formed through aberrant cell division, capable of packaging cytoplasmic contents including nanoparticles.

References

1. Minicells as an Escherichia coli mechanism for the accumulation and disposal of fluorescent cadmium sulphide nanoparticles. Journal of Nanobiotechnology (2024).
2. In-situ synthesis of quantum dots in the nucleus of live cells. National Science Review (2024).
3. Microbial Nanotechnology: Challenges and Prospects for Green Biocatalytic Synthesis of Nanoscale Materials for Sensoristic and Biomedical Applications. Nanomaterials (2019).
4. Microbial synthesis of chalcogenide semiconductor nanoparticles: a review. Microbial Biotechnology (2015).