Microbial ice-binding structures: A review of their applications.

Microorganisms' ice-binding structures (IBS) are macromolecules with potential commercial value in agriculture, food technology, material technology, cryobiology, and medicine. Microbial ice-structuring or microbial ice-binding particles, with their multi-applications, are simple to use, effective in low amounts, non-toxic, and environmentally friendly. Due to their source and composition diversities, microbial ice-binding structures are gaining attention because they are useable in various conditions. Some microorganisms also produce structures with dual ice-nucleating and anti-freezing properties. Structures that promote ice formation (ice nucleating particles- INPs) act as ice nuclei, lowering the energy barrier between supercooled liquid and ice, causing ice crystals to form. In contrast, anti-freeze particles (AFPs) prevent ice formation and recrystallization through several mechanisms, including disturbing the formation of string hydrogen bonds amongst water molecules, melting already formed ice crystals, and preventing crystal formation by binding to specific sites. Knowledge of the type and function of microbial ice-binding structures lends fundamental insight for possible scaling the production of cheap, functional, and advanced microbial structure-inspired mimics and by-products. This review focuses on microbial ice-binding structures and their potential uses in the food, medicinal, environmental, and agricultural sectors.

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