Nanorg microbial factories: light-driven renewable biochemical synthesis using quantum dot-bacteria nano-biohybrids

A method of producing ammonia (NH3), comprising,

• a) providing,
• i) a bacteria strain comprising a molybdenum-iron nitrogenase (MFN) enzyme having a reduction potential, wherein expression of said MFN enzyme results in ammonia (NH3) formation, a plurality of (CZS) core-shell quantum dots (CZS-QDs), wherein said QD has a Cadmium sulfide core and a two monolayer zinc sulfide (ZnS) shell (CdS@ZnS) having a zwitterion L-cysteine (CYS) cap (CZS) core-shell quantum dot, wherein said CZS-QDs transmits electrons having energies in the range of the reduction potential of said MFN enzyme upon exposure to radiation that increases the activity of said MFN enzyme,
• ii) an illumination source capable of emitting radiation,
• iii) at least one compound selected from the group consisting of CO2, H2O, O2 and N2, and
• b) incubating said engineered bacteria in the presence of said at least one said compound in the dark, and
• c) irradiating said bacteria with said illumination source under conditions that produce a compound selected from the group consisting of ammonia (NH3) and hydrogen (H2) molecules.

A method of producing Polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB), comprising,

• a) providing,
• i) a bacteria strain comprising a molybdenum-iron nitrogenase (MFN) enzyme, wherein expression of said MFN enzyme results in Polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) formation, a plurality of core-shell quantum dots (QDs) having a two monolayer zinc sulfide (ZnS) shell surrounded by a zwitterion L-cysteine (CYS) ligand cap, wherein said QD transmits electrons having energies in the range of the reduction potential of said MFN enzyme upon exposure to radiation that increases the activity of said MFN enzyme,
• ii) an illumination source capable of emitting radiation, and
• iii) at least one compound selected from the group consisting of CO2, H2O, O2 and N2,
• b) incubating said engineered bacteria in the presence of said at least one compound in the dark, and
• c) irradiating said engineered bacteria with said illumination source under conditions that produce Polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) in an amount above natural levels.