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Altin-Yavuzarslan G, Sadaba N, Brooks SM, Alper HS, Nelson A. Engineered Living Material Bioreactors with Tunable Mechanical Properties using Vat Photopolymerization. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2024; 20:e2306564. [PMID: 38105580 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202306564] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2023] [Revised: 11/29/2023] [Indexed: 12/19/2023]
Abstract
3D-printed engineered living materials (ELM) are promising bioproduction platforms for agriculture, biotechnology, sustainable energy, and green technology applications. However, the design of these platforms faces several challenges, such as the processability of these materials into complex form factors and control over their mechanical properties. Herein, ELM are presented as 3D-printed bioreactors with arbitrary shape geometries and tunable mechanical properties (moduli and toughness). Poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate (PEGDA) is used as the precursor to create polymer networks that encapsulate the microorganisms during the vat photopolymerization process. A major limitation of PEGDA networks is their propensity to swell and fracture when submerged in water. The authors overcame this issue by adding glycerol to the resin formulation to 3D print mechanically tough ELM hydrogels. While polymer concentration affects the modulus and reduces bioproduction, ELM bioreactors still maintain their metabolic activity regardless of polymer concentration. These ELM bioreactors have the potential to be used in different applications for sustainable architecture, food production, and biomedical devices that require different mechanical properties from soft to stiff.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gokce Altin-Yavuzarslan
- Molecular Engineering and Sciences Institute, University of Washington, Box 351700, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
- Department of Chemistry, University of Washington, Box 351700, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
| | - Naroa Sadaba
- Department of Chemistry, University of Washington, Box 351700, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
| | - Sierra M Brooks
- McKetta Department of Chemical Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712, USA
| | - Hal S Alper
- Department of Chemistry, University of Washington, Box 351700, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
- Institute for Cellular and Molecular Biology, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712, USA
| | - Alshakim Nelson
- Molecular Engineering and Sciences Institute, University of Washington, Box 351700, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
- Department of Chemistry, University of Washington, Box 351700, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
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Brooks SM, Marsan C, Reed KB, Yuan SF, Nguyen DD, Trivedi A, Altin-Yavuzarslan G, Ballinger N, Nelson A, Alper HS. A tripartite microbial co-culture system for de novo biosynthesis of diverse plant phenylpropanoids. Nat Commun 2023; 14:4448. [PMID: 37488111 PMCID: PMC10366228 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-40242-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2023] [Accepted: 07/19/2023] [Indexed: 07/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Plant-derived phenylpropanoids, in particular phenylpropenes, have diverse industrial applications ranging from flavors and fragrances to polymers and pharmaceuticals. Heterologous biosynthesis of these products has the potential to address low, seasonally dependent yields hindering ease of widespread manufacturing. However, previous efforts have been hindered by the inherent pathway promiscuity and the microbial toxicity of key pathway intermediates. Here, in this study, we establish the propensity of a tripartite microbial co-culture to overcome these limitations and demonstrate to our knowledge the first reported de novo phenylpropene production from simple sugar starting materials. After initially designing the system to accumulate eugenol, the platform modularity and downstream enzyme promiscuity was leveraged to quickly create avenues for hydroxychavicol and chavicol production. The consortia was found to be compatible with Engineered Living Material production platforms that allow for reusable, cold-chain-independent distributed manufacturing. This work lays the foundation for further deployment of modular microbial approaches to produce plant secondary metabolites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sierra M Brooks
- McKetta Department of Chemical Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Celeste Marsan
- McKetta Department of Chemical Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Kevin B Reed
- McKetta Department of Chemical Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Shuo-Fu Yuan
- Institute for Cellular and Molecular Biology, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Dustin-Dat Nguyen
- Institute for Cellular and Molecular Biology, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Adit Trivedi
- McKetta Department of Chemical Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Gokce Altin-Yavuzarslan
- Molecular Engineering and Sciences Institute, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
| | - Nathan Ballinger
- Department of Chemistry, University of Washington, Box 351700, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Alshakim Nelson
- Molecular Engineering and Sciences Institute, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
- Department of Chemistry, University of Washington, Box 351700, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Hal S Alper
- McKetta Department of Chemical Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA.
- Institute for Cellular and Molecular Biology, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA.
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Altin-Yavuzarslan G, Brooks SM, Yuan SF, Park JO, Alper HS, Nelson A. Additive Manufacturing of Engineered Living Materials with Bio-augmented Mechanical Properties and Resistance to Degradation. ADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS 2023; 33:2300332. [PMID: 37810281 PMCID: PMC10553028 DOI: 10.1002/adfm.202300332] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2023] [Indexed: 10/10/2023]
Abstract
Engineered living materials (ELMs) combine living cells with polymeric matrices to yield unique materials with programmable functions. While the cellular platform and the polymer network determine the material properties and applications, there are still gaps in our ability to seamlessly integrate the biotic (cellular) and abiotic (polymer) components into singular material, then assemble them into devices and machines. Herein, we demonstrated the additive-manufacturing of ELMs wherein bioproduction of metabolites from the encapsulated cells enhanced the properties of the surrounding matrix. First, we developed aqueous resins comprising bovine serum albumin (BSA) and poly(ethylene glycol diacrylate) (PEGDA) with engineered microbes for vat photopolymerization to create objects with a wide array of 3D form factors. The BSA-PEGDA matrix afforded hydrogels that were mechanically stiff and tough for use in load-bearing applications. Second, we demonstrated the continuous in situ production of L-DOPA, naringenin, and betaxanthins from the engineered cells encapsulated within the BSA-PEGDA matrix. These microbial metabolites bioaugmented the properties of the BSA-PEGDA matrix by enhancing the stiffness (L-DOPA) or resistance to enzymatic degradation (betaxanthin). Finally, we demonstrated the assembly of the 3D printed ELM components into mechanically functional bolts and gears to showcase the potential to create functional ELMs for synthetic living machines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gokce Altin-Yavuzarslan
- Molecular Engineering and Sciences Institute, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, United States
- Department of Chemistry, University of Washington, Box 351700, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Sierra M. Brooks
- McKetta Department of Chemical Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Shuo-Fu Yuan
- Institute for Cellular and Molecular Biology, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - James O. Park
- Department of Surgery, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, United States
| | - Hal S. Alper
- McKetta Department of Chemical Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
- Institute for Cellular and Molecular Biology, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Alshakim Nelson
- Molecular Engineering and Sciences Institute, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, United States
- Department of Chemistry, University of Washington, Box 351700, Seattle, WA, USA
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Sugianto W, Altin-Yavuzarslan G, Tickman BI, Kiattisewee C, Yuan SF, Brooks SM, Wong J, Alper HS, Nelson A, Carothers JM. Gene expression dynamics in input-responsive engineered living materials programmed for bioproduction. Mater Today Bio 2023; 20:100677. [PMID: 37273790 PMCID: PMC10239009 DOI: 10.1016/j.mtbio.2023.100677] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2023] [Revised: 05/14/2023] [Accepted: 05/19/2023] [Indexed: 06/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Engineered living materials (ELMs) fabricated by encapsulating microbes in hydrogels have great potential as bioreactors for sustained bioproduction. While long-term metabolic activity has been demonstrated in these systems, the capacity and dynamics of gene expression over time is not well understood. Thus, we investigate the long-term gene expression dynamics in microbial ELMs constructed using different microbes and hydrogel matrices. Through direct gene expression measurements of engineered E. coli in F127-bisurethane methacrylate (F127-BUM) hydrogels, we show that inducible, input-responsive genetic programs in ELMs can be activated multiple times and maintained for multiple weeks. Interestingly, the encapsulated bacteria sustain inducible gene expression almost 10 times longer than free-floating, planktonic cells. These ELMs exhibit dynamic responsiveness to repeated induction cycles, with up to 97% of the initial gene expression capacity retained following a subsequent induction event. We demonstrate multi-week bioproduction cycling by implementing inducible CRISPR transcriptional activation (CRISPRa) programs that regulate the expression of enzymes in a pteridine biosynthesis pathway. ELMs fabricated from engineered S. cerevisiae in bovine serum albumin (BSA) - polyethylene glycol diacrylate (PEGDA) hydrogels were programmed to express two different proteins, each under the control of a different chemical inducer. We observed scheduled bioproduction switching between betaxanthin pigment molecules and proteinase A in S. cerevisiae ELMs over the course of 27 days under continuous cultivation. Overall, these results suggest that the capacity for long-term genetic expression may be a general property of microbial ELMs. This work establishes approaches for implementing dynamic, input-responsive genetic programs to tailor ELM functions for a wide range of advanced applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Widianti Sugianto
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, United States
- Molecular Engineering & Sciences Institute, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, United States
- Center for Synthetic Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, United States
| | - Gokce Altin-Yavuzarslan
- Molecular Engineering & Sciences Institute, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, United States
- Department of Chemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, United States
| | - Benjamin I. Tickman
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, United States
- Molecular Engineering & Sciences Institute, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, United States
- Center for Synthetic Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, United States
| | - Cholpisit Kiattisewee
- Molecular Engineering & Sciences Institute, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, United States
- Center for Synthetic Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, United States
| | - Shuo-Fu Yuan
- Institute for Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712, United States
| | - Sierra M. Brooks
- McKetta Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712, United States
| | - Jitkanya Wong
- Department of Chemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, United States
| | - Hal S. Alper
- Institute for Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712, United States
- McKetta Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712, United States
| | - Alshakim Nelson
- Molecular Engineering & Sciences Institute, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, United States
- Department of Chemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, United States
| | - James M. Carothers
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, United States
- Molecular Engineering & Sciences Institute, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, United States
- Center for Synthetic Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, United States
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