Restoring intracellular homeostasis disrupted by synthetic nanoassemblies.

Programmable nanoassembly cycles restore bacterial redox and energy balance by linking supramolecular transformations with genetic responses.

• Why it matters: Understanding how cells can manage synthetic nanostructures is crucial for developing bio-integrative nanotechnologies and addressing cellular perturbations caused by artificial materials.
• What they did: The study engineered bacteria to respond to internalized photo-oxidized nanoassemblies through redox-driven morphological changes and gene activation, involving 100+ cycles of assembly and disassembly.
• The result: This approach enables bacteria to expel synthetic nanostructures actively, establishing a dynamic feedback system that maintains cellular homeostasis and opens avenues for programmable nanobiological interfaces.