A study team, led by Prof. TANG Ruikang at Zhejiang University, has developed an

approach to protect cells. Researchers demonstrated that the coated yeast cells could live

longer under indoor temperatures, with a resistance to lysozyme. The new finding, creating

a new approach for storing and shipping cells, has been published in a recent issue of

journal Applied Chemistry.

TANG told reporters that it took only a few minutes to coat cells by bathing yeast cells

coated with PA in a calcium phosphates liquid. PA would allow calcium phosphates to

produce a layer on the surface of cells. The coated cells would become dormant, with a

retained activity. This allows a cell to live longer, even with insufficient nutrition supply. It

is also easy to de-coat the cells, using a weak acid liquid or ultrasound, to restore its normal

functions.

Researchers have made an experiment to show that only 20% of the yeasts would survive

after being placed under a normal temperature or in pure water for one month, while the

coated yeasts would have a survival rate of 85%. In another experiment, researchers let

the yeasts be attacked by its natural rival lysozyme. 80% of the normal yeasts would die

three hours after being attacked, with less than 15% for the coated yeasts. In the

meantime, the yeasts, wearing a coat mixed with magnetic nanoparticles, are able to move

from one point to another.