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This work establishes a means to exploit genetic networks to create living synthetic composites that change shape in response to specific biochemical or physical stimuli. Baker’s yeast embedded in a hydrogel forms a responsive material where cellular proliferation leads to a controllable increase in the composite volume of up to 400%. Genetic manipulation of the yeast enables composites where volume change on exposure to l -histidine is 14× higher than volume change when exposed to d -histidine or other amino acids. By encoding an optogenetic switch into the yeast, spatiotemporally controlled shape change is induced with pulses of dim blue light (2.7 mW/cm 2 ). These living, shape-changing materials may enable sensors or medical devices that respond to highly specific cues found within a biological milieu.
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Stimuli-responsive engineered living materials
Stimuli-responsive materials are able to undergo controllable changes in materials properties in response to external cues. Increasing efforts have been directed towards building materials that mimic the responsive nature of biological systems. Nevertheless, limitations remain surrounding the way these synthetic materials interact and respond to their environment. In particular, it is difficult to synthesize synthetic materials that respond with specificity to poorly differentiated (bio)chemical and weak physical stimuli. The emerging area of engineered living materials (ELMs) includes composites that combine living cells and synthetic materials. ELMs have yielded promising advances in the creation of stimuli-responsive materials that respond with diverse outputs in response to a broad array of biochemical and physical stimuli. This review describes advances made in the genetic engineering of the living component and the processing-property relationships of stimuli-responsive ELMs. Finally, the implementation of stimuli-responsive ELMs as environmental sensors, biomedical sensors, drug delivery vehicles, and soft robots is discussed.
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- Award ID(s):
- 2039425
- PAR ID:
- 10289500
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Soft Matter
- Volume:
- 17
- Issue:
- 4
- ISSN:
- 1744-683X
- Page Range / eLocation ID:
- 785 to 809
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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- Free Publicly Accessible Full Text
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Accepted Manuscript1.0
- Journal Article:
- https://doi.org/10.1039/D0SM01905D
