Getting bacteria and yeast to talk to each other, thanks to a
'nanotranslator'

Date:
March 16, 2022
Source:
American Chemical Society
Summary:
Cells communicate with one another in the language of chemistry,
but those from different kingdoms, such as bacteria and yeast,
speak dialects virtually unintelligible to the other. By learning
how microbes 'talk,' researchers hope to one day manipulate their
behavior to protect against disease, for example. Efforts like
this are in their infancy, but researchers now describe the first
system that enables two unrelated organisms to communicate.



FULL STORY ========================================================================== Cells communicate with one another in the language of chemistry, but
those from different kingdoms, such as bacteria and yeast, speak dialects virtually unintelligible to the other. By learning how microbes "talk," researchers hope to one day manipulate their behavior to protect against disease, for example.

Efforts like this are in their infancy, but in a new study in ACS'
Nano Letters, researchers describe the first system that enables two
unrelated organisms to communicate.


==========================================================================
In nature, many cells send and receive chemical signals. This strategy
allows bacteria to regulate their behavior, fungi to mate and human cells
to notify each other of threats. This type of chemical communication has inspired researchers to devise their own means to join these conversations
so they can give cells instructions. While some studies have examined
micro- or nano-scale particles that communicate with one type of cell,
the use of particles to enable communication between two different types
of cells has not been explored. Antoni Llopis-Lorente, Marti'nez-Ma'n~ez
and colleagues wanted to create a nano-scale translating device so they
could send a chemical signal between members of two different kingdoms
of life -- something that rarely happens in the natural world.

The team built the nanotranslator from silica nanoparticles loaded
with two molecules: one that reacts with glucose, and another molecule
called phleomycin. The signalling system they constructed had two
steps, which they tested independently then put together. First, the researchers initiated a signal by exposing E. coli to lactose. The
bacteria converted the lactose into glucose, which reacted with the nano-translator. Next, this device released phleomycin, another messenger compound. The yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiaedetected the phleomycin and responded by fluorescing, something they had been genetically engineered
to do. The researchers envision many possible applications for similar nanotranslator-based communication systems. For example, these devices
could be used to tell cells to turn off certain processes and to switch on others, or to alter the activity of human immune cells to treat disease,
the researchers say.

The authors acknowledge funding from the Spanish Government and the
Generalitat Valenciana.


========================================================================== Story Source: Materials provided by American_Chemical_Society. Note:
Content may be edited for style and length.


========================================================================== Journal Reference:
1. Beatriz de Luis, A'ngela Morella'-Aucejo, Antoni Llopis-Lorente,
Javier
Marti'nez-Latorre, Fe'lix Sanceno'n, Carmelo Lo'pez, Jose' Ramo'n
Murgui'a, Ramo'n Marti'nez-Ma'n~ez. Nanoprogrammed Cross-Kingdom
Communication Between Living Microorganisms. Nano Letters, 2022;
22 (5): 1836 DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.1c02435 ==========================================================================

Link to news story: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2022/03/220316115008.htm

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