Inorganic–biological hybrid cell factories for biogenic inorganic biomaterials and biohybrid biomanufacturing

Abstract

Inorganic–biological hybrid cell factories couple cellular metabolism with inorganic ions and nanomaterials, enabling (i) biosynthesis of functional nanomaterials under mild aqueous conditions and (ii) biohybrid systems in which inorganic components modulate cellular redox, light harvesting and catalysis. This review summarizes nano–bio-interface mechanisms that govern ion uptake, trafficking and intracellular nucleation, and highlights synthetic-biology and metabolic-engineering strategies for improving yield, compositional control and biocompatibility. We survey representative material classes—including semiconductor quantum dots, carbon quantum dots and graphene-family 2D materials derived from microbial feedstocks, rare earth nanophosphors, noble metal nanostructures, and emerging perovskite-type and metal/metalloid materials—and discuss how bio-derived surface chemistries and dynamic interfaces support applications in biosensing, bioimaging, antimicrobial/therapeutic platforms, bioelectronics, and biohybrid production of fuels and chemicals. We conclude by outlining translational constraints relevant to Biomaterials Science, including reproducibility, scale-up, and safety/regulatory drivers that favor toxic-metal-free, stable, and sustainable materials.