Abstract
Exerting control over the size, morphology, and complexity of metal and semiconductor nanoparticles and nanostructures is a requisite for exploring novel phenomena, and the potential applications of these nanomaterials. Bottom-up colloidal chemistry syntheses can benefit from using biomolecules as active elements to influence the formation of inorganic nanoparticles. In this review, we will discuss how three main biomolecule types, (namely DNA; amino acids, peptides, and proteins; and enzymes), can affect the growth of metal and semiconductor nanoparticles. We will present and discuss the templating and non-templating roles of those biomolecules, featuring key aspects and prospects of biomolecule-assisted metal and semiconductor nanoparticle growth.