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Photo-excited extracellular electron transfer of electroactive microorganism triggers RAFT polymerization

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  • Chao Li

    (Northeastern University, College of Life and Health Sciences
    Tianjin University, State Key Laboratory of Synthetic Biology
    Tianjin University, School of Synthetic Biology and Biomanufacturing)

  • Jing Liu

    (Nankai University, Institute of Entomology, College of Life Sciences)

  • Wenchang Hu

    (Tianjin University, State Key Laboratory of Synthetic Biology
    Tianjin University, School of Synthetic Biology and Biomanufacturing)

  • Lin Xiao

    (Tianjin University, State Key Laboratory of Synthetic Biology
    Tianjin University, School of Synthetic Biology and Biomanufacturing)

  • Feng Li

    (Tianjin University, State Key Laboratory of Synthetic Biology
    Tianjin University, School of Synthetic Biology and Biomanufacturing)

  • Qijing Liu

    (Tianjin University, State Key Laboratory of Synthetic Biology
    Tianjin University, School of Synthetic Biology and Biomanufacturing)

  • Junqi Zhang

    (Northeastern University, College of Life and Health Sciences)

  • Huan Yu

    (Northeastern University, College of Life and Health Sciences)

  • Baocai Zhang

    (Northeastern University, College of Life and Health Sciences)

  • Dake Xu

    (Northeastern University, Shenyang National Laboratory for Materials Science
    Northeastern University, Electrobiomaterials Institute, Key Laboratory for Anisotropy and Texture of Materials (Ministry of Education))

  • Shaoan Cheng

    (Zhejiang University, State Key Laboratory of Clean Energy, Department of Energy Engineering)

  • Wen-Wei Li

    (University of Science & Technology of China, Chinese Academy of Sciences Key Laboratory of Urban Pollutant Conversion, Department of Environmental Science and Engineering)

  • Kenneth H. Nealson

    (University of Southern California, Departments of Earth Science & Biological Sciences)

  • Hao Song

    (Northeastern University, College of Life and Health Sciences
    Tianjin University, State Key Laboratory of Synthetic Biology
    Tianjin University, School of Synthetic Biology and Biomanufacturing)

Abstract

Living cell-triggered reversible addition-fragmentation chain-transfer (RAFT) polymerization is of great value for construction of living materials with diverse applications. However, microorganisms-activated polymerization without end-group heterogeneity is not yet established. Here, we develop an electroactive microorganism-triggered polymerization system using Shewanella oneidensis-secreted flavins (as electron shuttles) to directly reduce chain transfer agents (CTAs) to continuously generate radicals, thus initiating RAFT polymerization. This S. oneidensis-triggered polymerization integrates microbial extracellular electron transfer pathway and photoinduced electron transfer to reduce CTAs for continuous radical generation. We then genetically engineer S. oneidensis to enhance flavins biosynthesis and transport, accomplishing increased conversion ratio ( > 90%) of poly(N, N-dimethylacrylamide) with low polydispersity (Ð

Suggested Citation

  • Chao Li & Jing Liu & Wenchang Hu & Lin Xiao & Feng Li & Qijing Liu & Junqi Zhang & Huan Yu & Baocai Zhang & Dake Xu & Shaoan Cheng & Wen-Wei Li & Kenneth H. Nealson & Hao Song, 2025. "Photo-excited extracellular electron transfer of electroactive microorganism triggers RAFT polymerization," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 16(1), pages 1-15, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:16:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-025-65119-x
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-65119-x
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