# Biologists programmed lysed bacteria to assemble functional DNA superstructures

- Published: 2026-11-06 11:34 UTC
- Section: Life & Health › Biotechnology
- Tags: extracellular DNA synthesis, prophage rolling circle amplification, Shewanella oneidensis DNA, Bacillus subtilis biofilm, G quadruplex concatemers, bacterial biofilm engineering
- URL: https://realtech.media/news/rt-976163b352e4fe02ba1334c5_biologists_programmed_lysed/

**Researchers leveraged dormant prophages in lysed Shewanella oneidensis and Bacillus subtilis to synthesize catalytic DNA architectures in vitro.**

![Biologists programmed lysed bacteria to assemble functional DNA superstructures](https://sgzwpqqelzmajkcubgkl.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/rt-media/2026/11/9d22d199d47429df.avif)
*Notícias R7*

Researchers from Aarhus University have demonstrated that dormant prophages inside environmental bacteria can be hijacked to direct the synthesis of extracellular DNA (eDNA) superstructures after host cell death. The study, published in *Angewandte Chemie*, outlines a method to drive rolling circle replication outside living cells, using bacterial remnants to assemble functional nanomaterials [1].

## Mechanism of post-lysis synthesis

Under nutrient-limiting conditions, researchers triggered prophage activation and proliferation in cultures of *Shewanella oneidensis* and *Bacillus subtilis*. Subsequent phage-mediated cell lysis released intracellular machinery, nucleotides, and enzymes into the surrounding biofilm matrix. Real-time monitoring with fluorescent reporter strains confirmed that DNA synthesis occurred primarily after host lysis, coinciding directly with prophage replication cycles [1]. When using bacterial strains lacking these specific prophages, no specialized eDNA formation was observed.

To direct the assembly process, scientists introduced a custom circular DNA template containing G-quadruplex (GQ) motifs into the cultures. The released enzymatic machinery copied this template continuously via rolling circle amplification, generating multimeric GQ concatemers. In *S. oneidensis*, these concatemers self-assembled into spherical superstructures measuring up to 10 µm, whereas *B. subtilis* cultures formed wire-like configurations exceeding 50 µm in length [1].

## Catalytic and electrochemical properties

The synthesized eDNA materials altered the physicochemical behavior of the microbial communities. The programmable GQ concatemers complexed with hemin to form functional DNAzymes, which exhibited peroxidase catalytic activity within cocultured biofilms of both bacterial species [1]. Additionally, the spherical DNA architectures enhanced the electrochemical properties of *S. oneidensis*, establishing this approach as a viable platform for synthetic biology and functional biomaterial engineering.

## Sources

1. [Angewandte Chemie](https://doi.org/10.1002/anie.3695434)
2. [Notícias R7](https://noticias.r7.com/internacional/o-que-sao-as-bacterias-zumbis-descoberta-que-cientistas-ja-correm-para-tentar-controlar-06112026)

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Source: RealTech, realtech.media — https://realtech.media/news/rt-976163b352e4fe02ba1334c5_biologists_programmed_lysed/