Biotechnological advances in bacterial microcompartment technology

Bacterial microcompartments (BMCs) represent proteinaceous macromolecular nano-bioreactors that are found in a broad range of bacteria, and which are associated with either anabolic or catabolic processes. They consist of a semipermeable outer shell that packages a central metabolic enzyme or pathway, providing both enhanced flux and protection against toxic intermediates. Recombinant production of BMCs has led to their repurposing with the incorporation of altogether new pathways. Deconstruction of BMCs into their component parts has shown that some individual shell proteins self-associate into filaments that can be further modified into a cytoplasmic scaffold to which enzymes/proteins can be targeted. BMCs therefore represent a modular system that is highly suited for the engineering of biological systems for useful purposes