生物启发的细菌表面人造矿物壳:通过仿生矿化保护活细胞

Bio-inspired artificial shells protect living bacterial cells via biomimetic mineralization

摘要:

【目的】生物启发的细菌表面仿生矿化人造矿物壳被用于保护活细胞。【方法】将细菌限制在坚固而完整的矿物壳中，有限的物理空间和物质交换使其暂时进行休眠，降低长期保存期间的活力损失以及提高在各种极端环境中的生存能力，并且能够通过酸去除矿物壳而重新激活细菌。【结果】相较于未仿生矿化的细菌(EcN)，矿化细菌(EcN@CaCO₃)在32 d的储存实验中活力最高提升262倍；在pH 2.5的强酸环境中存活率提高837倍；在pH 12.0的强碱环境中存活率提高171倍；在80 ℃的高温条件下存活率提高59.1倍；甚至在抗生素溶液中，EcN@CaCO₃中细菌的存活率是EcN的729.7倍。【结论】本研究利用仿生矿化提高了细菌的保存稳定性，使其能在酸刺激下去除涂层恢复活性，也能在极端环境下保留细菌的活力，为微生物在环境生态、食品制造和生物医药等领域的应用提供研究基础。

Abstract:

[Objective] Bio-inspired artificial mineral shells are used to protect living bacterial cells. [Methods] Bacterial cells were encapsulated in firm and intact mineral shells, where the limited physical space and substance exchange induced the dormancy of living bacteria to decrease the viability loss during long-term preservation and even in extreme environments. Moreover, acids can erode the shells to reactivate the bacteria. [Results] Compared with the un-mineralization treatment (EcN), the mineralization treatment (EcN@CaCO₃) increased the bacterial viability by a maximum of 262 folds in a 32-day storage experiment and the survival rate by 837, 171, 59.1, and 729.7 folds at pH 2.5, pH 12.0, 80 ℃, and in the presence of an antibiotic, respectively. [Conclusion] We employed biomimetic mineralization to improve the stability of bacterial cells in storage, which can provide a research basis for the application of microorganisms in environmental engineering, food production, and biomedical engineering.