Extending visual range of bacteria with upconversion nanoparticles and constructing NIR-responsive bio-microrobots.

The motility of bacteria is crucial for navigating competitive environments and is closely linked to physiological activities essential for their survival, such as biofilm development. Precise regulation of bacterial motility enhances our understanding of these complex processes. While optogenetic tools have been used to control and investigate bacterial motility, the excitation light in most existing systems are limited to the visible light spectrum.

A Microrobotic System Based on Engineered Bacteria for Targeted Self-Driven Photodynamic Therapy.

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) has been used clinically to treat superficial tumors for decades. However, its effectiveness against deep-seated tumors has been limited by the inefficient delivery of the key components -light, photosensitizer, and oxygen- required for the photochemical reactions in PDT. Here, we present a novel platform that enables the photochemical reaction to occur in a self-driven manner, eliminating the need for external delivery of these components and instead orchestrating their endogenous generation within tumors.

Living Materials Based Dynamic Information Encryption via Light-Inducible Bacterial Biosynthesis of Quantum Dots.

Microbial biosynthesis, as an alternative method for producing quantum dots (QDs), has gained attention because it can be conducted under mild and environmentally friendly conditions, distinguishing it from conventional chemical and physical synthesis approaches. However, there is currently no method to selectively control this biosynthesis process in a subset of microbes within a population using external stimuli. In this study, we have attained precise and selective control over the microbial biosynthesis of QDs through the utilization of an optogenetically engineered Escherichia coli (E.

Cancer phototherapy with nano-bacteria biohybrids.

The utilization of light for therapeutic interventions, also known as phototherapy, has been extensively employed in the treatment of a wide range of illnesses, including cancer. Despite the benefits of its non-invasive nature, phototherapy still faces challenges pertaining to the delivery of phototherapeutic agents, phototoxicity, and light delivery. The incorporation of nanomaterials and bacteria in phototherapy has emerged as a promising approach that leverages the unique properties of each component.