Synthesis, properties and uses of bacterial storage lipid granules as naturally occurring nanoparticles

Bacterial storage lipids including poly(hydroxyalkanoates), triacylglycerols and wax esters are biodegradable materials with applications in food production, household goods, cosmetics, packaging and medicine. They are produced as a carbon and energy store by a wide range of species, and are accumulated in cytoplasmic granules. Various proteins are known to associate with these granules, thereby presenting the opportunity to functionalise their surfaces and to create biotechnologically applicable biobeads with the potential to replace existing colloidal systems for protein purification, drug delivery and enzyme immobilisation. This review summarises the production of such structures, and considers the methods available to adjust the physical properties of the granules to make them suitable for novel applications.