Reduction of chalcogen oxyanions and generation of nanoprecipitates by the photosynthetic bacterium Rhodobacter capsulatus

- R. capsulatus cells produce extracellular chalcogens nanoprecipitates when lawsone is present.
- Lawsone acts as a redox mediator from reducing equivalents to tellurite and selenite.
- Nanoprecipitates production depends on carbon source and requires metabolically active cells.
- Te0 and Se0 nanoprecipitates are identified by X-ray diffraction (XRD) spectroscopy.