Max-Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology, Potsdam-Golm 14476, Germany.
Max-Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology, Potsdam-Golm 14476, Germany.
Curr Opin Biotechnol. 2018 Feb;49:57-63. doi: 10.1016/j.copbio.2017.07.013. Epub 2017 Aug 16.
Complex mineral structures are produced by many microalgal species. Pioneering work on diatom silica has demonstrated the potential of such structures in nanotechnology. The calcified scales of coccolithophores (coccoliths) have received less attention, but the large diversity of architectures make coccoliths attractive as parts for nano-devices. Currently coccolith calcite can be modified by the incorporation of metal ions or adsorption of enzymes to the surface, but genetic modification of coccolithophores may permit the production of coccoliths with customized architectures and surface properties. Further work on the laboratory cultivation of diverse species, the physiochemical properties of coccoliths and on genetic tools for coccolithophores will be necessary to realize the full potential of coccoliths in nanotechnology.
许多微藻物种可产生复杂的矿物结构。对硅藻二氧化硅的开创性研究表明，此类结构在纳米技术中有很大的应用潜力。有壳微体藻类（有孔虫）的钙化鳞片受到的关注较少，但由于其结构的多样性，有孔虫作为纳米器件的组成部分很有吸引力。目前，可通过向碳酸钙中掺入金属离子或在表面吸附酶来修饰颗石藻碳酸钙，但对有壳微体藻类进行基因改造，可能会使具有定制结构和表面特性的有孔虫得以生产。要充分发挥有孔虫在纳米技术中的潜力，还需要在实验室培养多种有壳微体藻类、研究有孔虫的理化特性以及开发有壳微体藻类的基因工具等方面开展进一步的工作。
