320
E. A. Adebayo et al.
extracellular process, metal ions are trapped on the cell surface and enzymatically
reduced to nanoparticles (Zhang et al. 2011).
4 Bio-inspired Synthesis of Nanoparticles Using Beneficial
Microbes
The simplicity in procedures, the stability of nanoparticles and the applications in
drug delivery, biological imaging, gene silencing, and antimicrobial procedures have
made the synthesis of nanoparticles using natural organisms a major threshold
in the field of nanotechnology (Wei and Qian 2008). Bacteria possess detoxification mechanisms (Mergeay et al. 2003), and the pivotal roles of microorganisms generally in the synthesis of nanoparticles have been observed (Klaus et al.
1999). Table 2 summarized the importance of different nanoparticles biosynthesized by beneficial microbes. Different types of beneficial microbes that include
species of Lactobacillus, Bacillus, Enterococcus and Rhodobacter have been used
to synthesize silver, gold, silver-gold alloy, titanium oxide, tellurium, selenium,
zinc oxide, iron oxide and magnesium oxide nanoparticles. However, there is
dearth of information on the use of Bifidobacterium for the synthesis of nanoparticles. These particles have been evaluated as antimicrobial, catalytic, anticoagulant,
thrombolytic, cholesterol-reducing, antitumor, nanopreservative, larvicidal, antioxidant and nutrient supplementation agents. These applications traverse biomedical,
environmental and nutritional fields.
Although, the degree of metal nanoparticles synthesized by beneficial microbes
is far less compared with other types of microbes, nevertheless, their involvement in
the biosynthesis of nanoparticles could be exploited to deliver novel nanoplatforms
and products that can extend the frontier of applications of both beneficial microbes
and the nanoparticles in a synergistic manner. Similarly, some nanoparticles have
also been used to improve the performance of probiotics by enhancing their stability
and viability (Table 3). Therefore, beneficial microbes can be easily deployed in the
fields of nanobiotechnology and nanomedicine with limited concerns for safety. In
the ensuing section, some applications of nanotechnology in the treatment of few
devastating diseases are considered, with the view of projecting the possibility of
relevance of beneficial microbes in nanomedical field.
E. A. Adebayo et al.
extracellular process, metal ions are trapped on the cell surface and enzymatically
reduced to nanoparticles (Zhang et al. 2011).
4 Bio-inspired Synthesis of Nanoparticles Using Beneficial
Microbes
The simplicity in procedures, the stability of nanoparticles and the applications in
drug delivery, biological imaging, gene silencing, and antimicrobial procedures have
made the synthesis of nanoparticles using natural organisms a major threshold
in the field of nanotechnology (Wei and Qian 2008). Bacteria possess detoxification mechanisms (Mergeay et al. 2003), and the pivotal roles of microorganisms generally in the synthesis of nanoparticles have been observed (Klaus et al.
1999). Table 2 summarized the importance of different nanoparticles biosynthesized by beneficial microbes. Different types of beneficial microbes that include
species of Lactobacillus, Bacillus, Enterococcus and Rhodobacter have been used
to synthesize silver, gold, silver-gold alloy, titanium oxide, tellurium, selenium,
zinc oxide, iron oxide and magnesium oxide nanoparticles. However, there is
dearth of information on the use of Bifidobacterium for the synthesis of nanoparticles. These particles have been evaluated as antimicrobial, catalytic, anticoagulant,
thrombolytic, cholesterol-reducing, antitumor, nanopreservative, larvicidal, antioxidant and nutrient supplementation agents. These applications traverse biomedical,
environmental and nutritional fields.
Although, the degree of metal nanoparticles synthesized by beneficial microbes
is far less compared with other types of microbes, nevertheless, their involvement in
the biosynthesis of nanoparticles could be exploited to deliver novel nanoplatforms
and products that can extend the frontier of applications of both beneficial microbes
and the nanoparticles in a synergistic manner. Similarly, some nanoparticles have
also been used to improve the performance of probiotics by enhancing their stability
and viability (Table 3). Therefore, beneficial microbes can be easily deployed in the
fields of nanobiotechnology and nanomedicine with limited concerns for safety. In
the ensuing section, some applications of nanotechnology in the treatment of few
devastating diseases are considered, with the view of projecting the possibility of
relevance of beneficial microbes in nanomedical field.