Glutathione reductase-mediated synthesis of tellurium-containing nanostructures exhibiting antibacterial properties.

ABSTRACT: Tellurium, a metalloid belonging to group 16 of the periodic table, displays very interesting physical and chemical properties and lately has attracted significant attention for its use in nanotechnology. In this context, the use of microorganisms for synthesizing nanostructures emerges as an eco-friendly and exciting approach compared to their chemical synthesis. To generate Te-containing nanostructures, bacteria enzymatically reduce tellurite to elemental tellurium. In this work, using a classic biochemical approach, we looked for a novel tellurite reductase from the Antarctic bacterium Pseudomonas sp. strain BNF22 and used it to generate tellurium-containing nanostructures. A new tellurite reductase was identified as glutathione reductase, which was subsequently overproduced in Escheric

SUBMITTER: Pugin B 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4249020 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature