Sleytr is an early researcher and pioneer in the field of Nanobiotechnology.[8][3][9] He first discovered the S-layer Protein which has found important applications as patterning element and toolkit in nano-biotechnology.[10] Sleytr's work has contributed significantly to the fact that today it is recognized that most bacteria and almost all archaea form S-layers as cell surface structure. In addition, Sleytr deals with the connection and interaction of science and art.
Together with Karin Thorne, he was able to prove in 1976 that S-layers can also consist of glycoproteins, which was the first evidence for the glycosylation of a cell wall protein in bacteria. His investigations of the dynamic self-organization of S-layers on growing and dividing cells and the assembly of isolated S-layer monomersin vitro have shown that S-layers are the simplest isopore proteinmembranes developed during evolution. These results were also the basis for the production of large S-layer ultrafiltration membranes with strictly defined separation (cut off) limits.
Major fields of application were derived from the fact that S-layer proteins could be fused with other functional proteins (e.g. ligands, antigens, antibodies, enzymes, peptides) and assembled on solid carriers (e.g. metals, semiconductors, graphene, polymers) and lipid membranes including liposomes, emulsomes, nanoparticles and magnetic beads in the form of regular lattices. Due to their unique repetitive physicochemical properties, S-layers could be used in combination with other biomolecules (proteins, lipids, carbohydrates, nucleic acids, etc.) and nanoparticles as patterning elements and basic building blocks for the production of sometimes very complex supramolecular and biomimetic structures. This also opened up a wide range of applications for S-layers in synthetic biology, biomimetics, nanotechnology, nanomedicine and bio-inspired materials.
Contributions to Nanobiotechnology
Sleytr has had a significant impact on the international scientific community in nanobiotechnology. He is widely recognized for his pioneering research involving crystalline bacterial cell surface layers (S-layers), which has influenced multiple fields, including nanomaterials, biomimetics, vaccine development and biosensors.
His research has been cited globally, impacting both academic research and industrial applications. • He has received numerous awards and honors for his contributions to nanobiotechnology. Overall, Uwe Sleytr's work has been foundational in advancing bionanotechnology and continues to inspire research into functional nanostructures
• Sleytr UB: Curiosity and Passion for Science and Art –“S-layer Proteins of Bacteria and Archaea” Series in Structural Biology, World Scientific (2016) Vol 7. ISBN 9789813141810 or ISBN 9813141816
Cryopreparation Techniques for Transmission Electron Microscopy
Uwe Sleytr was engaged in the improvement of electron microscope preparation techniques for biological specimens with special emphasis on freeze-etching (freeze-fracture) for transmission electron microscopy. This method allowed the evaluation of structures of complementary fracture faces produced at temperatures down to 4 Kelvin for the first time. With the help of these methods it was possible to prove that cell membrane brake along the central plane of the lipid bilayer, supporting the fluid mosaic model postulated for cell membranes, and that plastic deformation of polymers even occur during fracturing at 4K.
• Robards, A.W., and U.B. Sleytr. Low temperature Methods in Biological Electron Microscopy (1985) Elsevier Science. ISBN 9780444806840
Artistic Activities
In addition to his scientific endeavors, Sleytr has engaged in artistic pursuits that visualize the possibilities of synthetic biology in relation to human evolution. His artistic activities are intended to make people aware that although fossile records and molecular biology data allow for reconstructing evolutionary pathways leading to current life forms including humans, predicting future developments remain elusive. His mask-like sculptures thematise the ability of humans to intervene in evolution through genetic manipulation and encourage reflection on the future development of life. In his numerous exhibitions he presents works that shed light on the tension between humanity and the global future. His sculptures invite us to reflect on the role of humans as “homo creator” and encourage the imagination in the transfer of knowledge.
• Sleytr UB: Curiosity and Passion for Science and Art –“S-layer Proteins of Bacteria and Archaea” Series in Structural Biology, World Scientific (2016) Vol 7. ISBN 9789813141810 or ISBN 9813141816
Sleytr UB and Sára M (1986) Ultrafiltration membranes with uniform pores from crystalline bacterial-cell envelope layers. Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology 25(2), 83–90. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00938929
Sleytr UB, Messner P, Pum D and Sara M (1999) Crystalline bacterial cell surface layers (S-layers): from supramolecular cell surface structure to biomimetics and nanotechnology. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 38(8),1035-1054. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25138491/
Ilk N, Egelseer EM and Sleytr UB (2011) S-layer fusion proteins – Construction principles and applications. Current Opinion in Biotechnology 22(6), 824–831. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21696943/
Qing R, Xue M, Zhao J, Wu L, Breitwieser A, Smorodina E, Schubert T, Azzellino G, Jin D, Kong J, Palacios T, Sleytr UB, Zhang S. Scalable biomimetic sensing system with membrane receptor dual-monolayer probe and graphene transistor arrays. Sci Adv. 2023; 9(29):eadf1402. https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.adf1402, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37478177/
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