Polymer synthesis at microbial surfaces

A redox system operating in bacteria produces copper species which can catalyse an ATRP-type polymerization at the bacterial surface, researchers have shown.  The resulting macromolecules selectively bound to the microbial strain which templated them.  The approach was also used to label polymer side chains in-situ.  Potential applications include diagnostics.

Bacteria-instructed synthesis of polymers for self-selective microbial binding and labelling; E.P. Magennis et al, Nature Materials AOP; DOI: 10.1038/NMAT3949

http://www.nature.com/nmat/journal/vaop/ncurrent/pdf/nmat3949.pdf