Metabolic engineering of TiO<sub>2</sub> nanoparticles in Nitzschia palea to form diatom nanotubes: an ingredient for solar cells to produce electricity and biofuel

Gautam, Shristy; Kashyap, Mrinal; Gupta, S.P.; Kumar, Vikas; Schoefs, Benoı̂t; Gordon, Richard; Jeffryes, Clayton; Joshi, Khashti Ballabh; Vinayak, Vandana

doi:10.1039/c6ra18487a

Cited by 45 publications

(19 citation statements)

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“…An interesting study recently reported by Gautam et al shows that the metabolic incorporation of titania nanoparticles into Nitschia palea living diatoms induces the formation of TiO 2 nanotubes that are specifically located inside the frustule pores . Isolated titania‐nanotube‐doped frustules were used as a coating substrate for photoanodes in DSSCs and almost double (9.45% vs 4.20%) power efficiency was recorded versus a reference device using TiO 2 instead of the metabolically modified diatom shells.…”

Section: In Vivo Modification Of Biosilica Shellsmentioning

confidence: 97%

Multiple Routes to Smart Nanostructured Materials from Diatom Microalgae: A Chemical Perspective

et al. 2017

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Diatoms are unicellular photosynthetic microalgae, ubiquitously diffused in both marine and freshwater environments, which exist worldwide with more than 100 000 species, each with different morphologies and dimensions, but typically ranging from 10 to 200 µm. A special feature of diatoms is their production of siliceous micro- to nanoporous cell walls, the frustules, whose hierarchical organization of silica layers produces extraordinarily intricate pore patterns. Due to the high surface area, mechanical resistance, unique optical features, and biocompatibility, a number of applications of diatom frustules have been investigated in photonics, sensing, optoelectronics, biomedicine, and energy conversion and storage. Current progress in diatom-based nanotechnology relies primarily on the availability of various strategies to isolate frustules, retaining their morphological features, and modify their chemical composition for applications that are not restricted to those of the bare biosilica produced by diatoms. Chemical or biological methods that decorate, integrate, convert, or mimic diatoms' biosilica shells while preserving their structural features represent powerful tools in developing scalable, low-cost routes to a wide variety of nanostructured smart materials. Here, the different approaches to chemical modification as the basis for the description of applications relating to the different materials thus obtained are presented.

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Section: In Vivo Modification Of Biosilica Shellsmentioning

confidence: 97%

Multiple Routes to Smart Nanostructured Materials from Diatom Microalgae: A Chemical Perspective

et al. 2017

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“…Furthermore, the similarity of these structures to artificial photonic crystals led to the study of their ability to manipulate light 14 – 19 . Potential exploitation of optical, mechanical and structural properties of diatom frustules has been predicted and tested in several fields: design and development of highly efficient solar cells 20 – 22 ; plasmonics and Surface Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (SERS) 23 – 25 ; sub-diffractive optics 26 ; photoluminescence-based sensors and biosensors 27 , 28 ; molding in micro- and nano- devices fabrication 29 ; nanovectoring of therapeutic agents in cancer cells 30 , 31 ; random lasing and dye trapping 32 , 33 , with several further innovative applications repeatedly envisaged 34 .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

UV-shielding and wavelength conversion by centric diatom nanopatterned frustules

Tommasi

Congestri

Dardano

et al. 2018

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Diatoms can represent the major component of phytoplankton and contribute massively to global primary production in the oceans. Over tens of millions of years they developed an intricate porous silica shell, the frustule, which ensures mechanical protection, sorting of nutrients from harmful agents, and optimization of light harvesting. Several groups of microalgae evolved different strategies of protection towards ultraviolet radiation (UVR), which is harmful for all living organisms mainly through the formation of dimeric photoproducts between adjacent pyrimidines in DNA. Even in presence of low concentrations of UV-absorbing compounds, several diatoms exhibit significant UVR tolerance. We here investigated the mechanisms involved in UVR screening by diatom silica investments focusing on single frustules of a planktonic centric diatom, Coscinodiscus wailesii, analyzing absorption by the silica matrix, diffraction by frustule ultrastructure and also UV conversion into photosynthetically active radiation exerted by nanostructured silica photoluminescence. We identified the defects and organic residuals incorporated in frustule silica matrix which mainly contribute to absorption; simulated and measured the spatial distribution of UVR transmitted by a single valve, finding that it is confined far away from the diatom valve itself; furthermore, we showed how UV-to-blue radiation conversion (which is particularly significant for photosynthetic productivity) is more efficient than other emission transitions in the visible spectral range.

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“…Interestingly, in this study tyrosine and tyrosine‐Zn II conjugates were incubated with diatom Nitzschia palea, which was cultured as per the standard lab procedure in a modified f/2 media . The cultured diatoms were sonicated and washed as described in published literature and used for the fabrication . The analysis of co‐incubated samples of Nitzschia palea with tyrosine and tyrosine‐Zn II conjugate revealed that deposition of tyrosine (Figure B&B’) and tyrosine‐ Zn II (Figure C&C’) over the surface ofdiatoms when analyzed under low vacuum SEM.…”

Section: Figurementioning

confidence: 78%

Biofabrication of Diatom Surface by Tyrosine‐Metal Complexes:Smart Microcontainers to Inhibit Bacterial Growth

et al. 2020

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This study explores the potential of a highly biocompatible golden brown algal cell, diatom, as a drug carrier to the bacterial cell. The strong interaction between diatom and bacteria that occur in the microenvironment, lead us to pave the way for exciting new directions where diatom can be used to address several bacterial infections. The surface of diatom frustules was modified with self‐assembled antibacterial aromatic amino acid conjugates, Tyr‐ZnII. Microscopy and spectroscopy observations confirmed the deposition of Tyr‐ZnII over diatom frustules. Diatoms can work as living microcontainers to store the toxic metal (drug) ions and therefore can be utilized as potential drug delivery agents to kill the clinically relevant bacteria. Due to antibacterial property of zinc ions, Tyr‐ZnII conjugates inhibits bacterial growth and diatom frustules were utilized as Tyr‐ZnII carrier for controlled release of zinc to the bacterial cell.

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Metabolic engineering of TiO₂ nanoparticles in Nitzschia palea to form diatom nanotubes: an ingredient for solar cells to produce electricity and biofuel

Abstract: Diatoms are nature's nanobot because they can be described as cells in a glass house.

Cited by 45 publications

References 50 publications

Multiple Routes to Smart Nanostructured Materials from Diatom Microalgae: A Chemical Perspective

Multiple Routes to Smart Nanostructured Materials from Diatom Microalgae: A Chemical Perspective

UV-shielding and wavelength conversion by centric diatom nanopatterned frustules

Biofabrication of Diatom Surface by Tyrosine‐Metal Complexes:Smart Microcontainers to Inhibit Bacterial Growth

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Metabolic engineering of TiO2 nanoparticles in Nitzschia palea to form diatom nanotubes: an ingredient for solar cells to produce electricity and biofuel

Abstract: Diatoms are nature's nanobot because they can be described as cells in a glass house.

Cited by 45 publications

References 50 publications

Multiple Routes to Smart Nanostructured Materials from Diatom Microalgae: A Chemical Perspective

Multiple Routes to Smart Nanostructured Materials from Diatom Microalgae: A Chemical Perspective

UV-shielding and wavelength conversion by centric diatom nanopatterned frustules

Biofabrication of Diatom Surface by Tyrosine‐Metal Complexes:Smart Microcontainers to Inhibit Bacterial Growth

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Metabolic engineering of TiO₂ nanoparticles in Nitzschia palea to form diatom nanotubes: an ingredient for solar cells to produce electricity and biofuel