Background: In the past decade, considerable attention has been paid
for the development of novel strategies for the synthesis of different
kind of nano-objects. Most of the current strategies are usually
working by the use physical or chemical principles to develop a myriad
of nano-objects with multiple applications. Main fields of
nanotechnology applications range from catalysis, micro- and
nano-electronics (semiconductors, single electrons transistors),
non-linear optic devices, photo-electrochemistry to biomedicine,
diagnostics, foods and environment, chemical analysis and others.
Results: Two main avenues for nanoparticles synthesis: cell-free
extract and cell cultivation have been reported. The state of art of
both biotechnological approaches for different type nanoparticles are
reviewed in this work. Conclusions: Nanotechnology is a revolutionary
field just at its onset, the trend in the next decades being its
integration with the green chemistry approach. Several strategies
involving exhaustive strain selection, cultivation modes, recombinant
gene expression, metabolic engineering, protein re-design and
re-engineering, and predictive modeling will allow to create
nanobioreactors, a new nanobiotechnology arena with a high potential
impact in many fields