Curated Papers > Recent high-impact research in "synthetic biology" (IF≥30, last 5 years)

Bacterial biopolymers: from pathogenesis to advanced materials.

Literature Information

DOI	10.1038/s41579-019-0313-3
PMID	31992873
Journal	Nature reviews. Microbiology
Impact Factor	103.3
JCR Quartile	Q1
Publication Year	2020
Times Cited	122
Keywords	Bacterial biopolymers, Pathogenicity, Material properties, Synthetic biology
Literature Type	Journal Article, Review
ISSN	1740-1526
Pages	195-210
Issue	18(4)
Authors	M Fata Moradali, Bernd H A Rehm

TL;DR

This review explores the dual role of bacterial polymers, which serve as key virulence factors in pathogenic bacteria while offering potential for food and biomaterial applications when produced by non-pathogenic strains. It highlights advancements in understanding their synthesis and material properties, emphasizing the significance of interdisciplinary research in developing innovative bio-based materials and new antibacterial strategies.

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Bacterial biopolymers · Pathogenicity · Material properties · Synthetic biology

Abstract

Bacteria are prime cell factories that can efficiently convert carbon and nitrogen sources into a large diversity of intracellular and extracellular biopolymers, such as polysaccharides, polyamides, polyesters, polyphosphates, extracellular DNA and proteinaceous components. Bacterial polymers have important roles in pathogenicity, and their varied chemical and material properties make them suitable for medical and industrial applications. The same biopolymers when produced by pathogenic bacteria function as major virulence factors, whereas when they are produced by non-pathogenic bacteria, they become food ingredients or biomaterials. Interdisciplinary research has shed light on the molecular mechanisms of bacterial polymer synthesis, identified new targets for antibacterial drugs and informed synthetic biology approaches to design and manufacture innovative materials. This Review summarizes the role of bacterial polymers in pathogenesis, their synthesis and their material properties as well as approaches to design cell factories for production of tailor-made bio-based materials suitable for high-value applications.

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Primary Questions Addressed

1. How do the chemical properties of bacterial biopolymers influence their applications in medical fields?
2. What are the specific molecular mechanisms that differentiate pathogenic from non-pathogenic bacterial polymer synthesis?
3. In what ways can synthetic biology be utilized to enhance the production of bacterial biopolymers for industrial use?
4. What are the potential environmental impacts of using bacterial biopolymers in various applications?
5. How do advancements in interdisciplinary research contribute to the development of antibacterial drugs targeting bacterial polymers?

Key Findings

Background and Objectives

Bacterial biopolymers play a crucial role in both pathogenesis and the development of advanced materials. This review aims to summarize the synthesis, biological functions, and potential applications of bacterial biopolymers, highlighting their dual roles as virulence factors in pathogenic bacteria and as valuable resources for innovative materials in non-pathogenic strains.

Main Methods/Materials/Experimental Design

The review synthesizes findings from interdisciplinary research, focusing on the molecular mechanisms of bacterial polymer synthesis, genetic engineering approaches for enhanced production, and the design of cell factories. The following flowchart illustrates the technical route for producing tailored biopolymers:

Key Results and Findings

1. Diversity of Bacterial Polymers: Bacteria produce various biopolymers, including polysaccharides (e.g., alginate, cellulose), polyamides (e.g., γ-PGA), polyesters (e.g., PHAs), and polyphosphates, each with unique structural and functional properties.
2. Role in Pathogenesis: Bacterial biopolymers are integral to biofilm formation and act as virulence factors that enhance bacterial survival against host immune responses.
3. Material Properties: These polymers exhibit significant physicochemical properties, such as biocompatibility, biodegradability, and the ability to form hydrogels, making them suitable for medical applications like drug delivery and tissue engineering.
4. Synthetic Biology Innovations: Advances in synthetic biology and metabolic engineering have enabled the development of cell factories that produce high yields of biopolymers, addressing the need for sustainable and renewable materials.

Main Conclusions/Significance/Innovation

The review underscores the importance of bacterial biopolymers in both health and industry. It highlights the potential for engineering non-pathogenic bacteria to produce biopolymers that can replace petroleum-based materials. The insights into biopolymer synthesis pathways provide a foundation for future drug discovery targeting bacterial virulence and for developing new biomaterials.

Research Limitations and Future Directions

1. Production Costs: The high costs associated with bacterial fermentation and purification processes pose challenges for commercial applications.
2. GRAS Status: Many bacterial biopolymers have not yet achieved Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS) status, limiting their use in medical applications.
3. Complexity of Biological Systems: The intricate interactions within bacterial metabolic pathways complicate the rational design of engineered cell factories.

Future research should focus on:

• Developing cost-effective fermentation processes.
• Establishing standard safety assays for biopolymers.
• Enhancing the understanding of regulatory networks in bacterial polymer synthesis to improve yields and functionality.

Summary Table of Key Bacterial Polymers

Polymer Type	Structure	Key Producers	Applications
Polysaccharides	Homopolymers/Heteropolymers	Pseudomonas spp.	Drug delivery, tissue engineering
Polyamides	Amino acid chains	Bacillus spp.	Antimicrobial coatings
Polyesters	Hydroxy fatty acid chains	Ralstonia eutropha	Bioplastics, sutures
Polyphosphates	Inorganic phosphate chains	Various bacteria	Bone regeneration, drug delivery

This review highlights the significant advancements in understanding bacterial biopolymers and their applications, paving the way for innovative solutions in medical and industrial fields.

References

1. Polysaccharide-Based Conjugates for Biomedical Applications. - Arijit Basu;Konda Reddy Kunduru;Ester Abtew;Abraham J Domb - Bioconjugate chemistry (2015)
2. Alginate Polymerization and Modification Are Linked in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. - M Fata Moradali;Ivan Donati;Ian M Sims;Shirin Ghods;Bernd H A Rehm - mBio (2015)
3. Transformation of Amorphous Polyphosphate Nanoparticles into Coacervate Complexes: An Approach for the Encapsulation of Mesenchymal Stem Cells. - Werner E G Müller;Shunfeng Wang;Emad Tolba;Meik Neufurth;Maximilian Ackermann;Rafael Muñoz-Espí;Ingo Lieberwirth;Gunnar Glasser;Heinz C Schröder;Xiaohong Wang - Small (Weinheim an der Bergstrasse, Germany) (2018)
4. Highly Effective Polyphosphate Synthesis, Phosphate Removal, and Concentration Using Engineered Environmental Bacteria Based on a Simple Solo Medium-Copy Plasmid Strategy. - Xin Wang;Xiaomeng Wang;Kaimin Hui;Wei Wei;Wen Zhang;Aijun Miao;Lin Xiao;Liuyan Yang - Environmental science & technology (2018)
5. Synthetic biology towards the synthesis of custom-made polysaccharides. - Bernd H A Rehm - Microbial biotechnology (2015)
6. Marine Bacteria, A Source for Alginolytic Enzyme to Disrupt Pseudomonas aeruginosa Biofilms. - Said M Daboor;Renee Raudonis;Alejandro Cohen;John R Rohde;Zhenyu Cheng - Marine drugs (2019)
7. Identification and characterization of the Streptococcus pneumoniae type 3 capsule-specific glycoside hydrolase of Paenibacillus species 32352. - Dustin R Middleton;Xing Zhang;Paeton L Wantuch;Ahmet Ozdilek;Xinyue Liu;Rachel LoPilato;Nikhil Gangasani;Robert Bridger;Lance Wells;Robert J Linhardt;Fikri Y Avci - Glycobiology (2018)
8. Pneumococcal Capsules and Their Types: Past, Present, and Future. - K Aaron Geno;Gwendolyn L Gilbert;Joon Young Song;Ian C Skovsted;Keith P Klugman;Christopher Jones;Helle B Konradsen;Moon H Nahm - Clinical microbiology reviews (2015)
9. Two capsular polysaccharides enable Bacillus cereus G9241 to cause anthrax-like disease. - So-Young Oh;Jonathan M Budzik;Gabriella Garufi;Olaf Schneewind - Molecular microbiology (2011)
10. Antimicrobial Activity of ε-Poly-l-lysine after Forming a Water-Insoluble Complex with an Anionic Surfactant. - Kazunori Ushimaru;Yoshimitsu Hamano;Hajime Katano - Biomacromolecules (2017)

Literatures Citing This Work

1. Bioengineered Polyhydroxyalkanoates as Immobilized Enzyme Scaffolds for Industrial Applications. - Jin Xiang Wong;Kampachiro Ogura;Shuxiong Chen;Bernd H A Rehm - Frontiers in bioengineering and biotechnology (2020)
2. Plant Nanomaterials and Inspiration from Nature: Water Interactions and Hierarchically Structured Hydrogels. - Rubina Ajdary;Blaise L Tardy;Bruno D Mattos;Long Bai;Orlando J Rojas - Advanced materials (Deerfield Beach, Fla.) (2021)
3. Recent progress in chemical synthesis of bacterial surface glycans. - Riyao Li;Hai Yu;Xi Chen - Current opinion in chemical biology (2020)
4. Modifying the Cyanobacterial Metabolism as a Key to Efficient Biopolymer Production in Photosynthetic Microorganisms. - Maciej Ciebiada;Katarzyna Kubiak;Maurycy Daroch - International journal of molecular sciences (2020)
5. Spiral Honeycomb Microstructured Bacterial Cellulose for Increased Strength and Toughness. - Kui Yu;Srikkanth Balasubramanian;Helda Pahlavani;Mohammad J Mirzaali;Amir A Zadpoor;Marie-Eve Aubin-Tam - ACS applied materials & interfaces (2020)
6. Pseudomonas aeruginosa Biofilms. - Minh Tam Tran Thi;David Wibowo;Bernd H A Rehm - International journal of molecular sciences (2020)
7. Self-assembled particulate vaccine elicits strong immune responses and reduces Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis infection in mice. - Sandeep K Gupta;Natalie A Parlane;Dongwen Luo;Bernd H A Rehm;Axel Heiser;Bryce M Buddle;D Neil Wedlock - Scientific reports (2020)
8. Polymeric nanoparticle vaccines to combat emerging and pandemic threats. - David Wibowo;Sytze H T Jorritsma;Zennia Jean Gonzaga;Benjamin Evert;Shuxiong Chen;Bernd H A Rehm - Biomaterials (2021)
9. Editorial: Pathway, Genetic and Process Engineering of Microbes for Biopolymer Synthesis. - Ignacio Poblete-Castro;Bruce A Ramsay;Bernd H A Rehm - Frontiers in bioengineering and biotechnology (2020)
10. Pantoea stewartii WceF is a glycan biofilm-modifying enzyme with a bacteriophage tailspike-like fold. - Tobias Irmscher;Yvette Roske;Igor Gayk;Valentin Dunsing;Salvatore Chiantia;Udo Heinemann;Stefanie Barbirz - The Journal of biological chemistry (2021)

... (112 more literatures)

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