Microbes have a remarkable ability to synthesize and hierarchically assemble nanostructures, with precise control over their composition, crystallography, and functional properties. Here, we discuss a low temperature biological route for synthesizing nanostructured chalcogenide materials, with novel compositions and morphologies, by exploiting the metabolic versatility of Shewanella species.  The method is illustrated with a case study that takes advantage of Shewanella sp. strain ANA-3 and Shewanella oneidensis MR-1 to synthesize macroscopic quantities of arsenic sulfide nanofibers.  Using mutants disrupted in specific As reductases, we demonstrate that the previously known As detoxification and respiration pathways are not required for AsxSy biosynthesis.  We present an investigation into the early stages of growth and in vivo temperature-dependent growth rates to describe the activation energy for this system.  Furthermore, we analyze the structural and photoactive properties of the synthesized nanostructures, and discuss the potential to synthesize a library of additional chalcogenide compositions.

Biological route to synthesizing nanostructured chalcogenides

243rd National Meeting (2012)

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