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Programmable microbial ink for 3D printing of living materials produced from genetically engineered protein nanofibers

Author

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  • Anna M. Duraj-Thatte

    (John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University
    Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard University
    Northeastern University
    Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University)

  • Avinash Manjula-Basavanna

    (Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard University
    Northeastern University)

  • Jarod Rutledge

    (Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard University)

  • Jing Xia

    (John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University)

  • Shabir Hassan

    (Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School)

  • Arjirios Sourlis

    (Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard University)

  • Andrés G. Rubio

    (Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School)

  • Ami Lesha

    (Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School)

  • Michael Zenkl

    (Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School)

  • Anton Kan

    (Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard University)

  • David A. Weitz

    (John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University)

  • Yu Shrike Zhang

    (Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School)

  • Neel S. Joshi

    (John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University
    Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard University
    Northeastern University)

Abstract

Living cells have the capability to synthesize molecular components and precisely assemble them from the nanoscale to build macroscopic living functional architectures under ambient conditions. The emerging field of living materials has leveraged microbial engineering to produce materials for various applications but building 3D structures in arbitrary patterns and shapes has been a major challenge. Here we set out to develop a bioink, termed as “microbial ink” that is produced entirely from genetically engineered microbial cells, programmed to perform a bottom-up, hierarchical self-assembly of protein monomers into nanofibers, and further into nanofiber networks that comprise extrudable hydrogels. We further demonstrate the 3D printing of functional living materials by embedding programmed Escherichia coli (E. coli) cells and nanofibers into microbial ink, which can sequester toxic moieties, release biologics, and regulate its own cell growth through the chemical induction of rationally designed genetic circuits. In this work, we present the advanced capabilities of nanobiotechnology and living materials technology to 3D-print functional living architectures.

Suggested Citation

  • Anna M. Duraj-Thatte & Avinash Manjula-Basavanna & Jarod Rutledge & Jing Xia & Shabir Hassan & Arjirios Sourlis & Andrés G. Rubio & Ami Lesha & Michael Zenkl & Anton Kan & David A. Weitz & Yu Shrike Z, 2021. "Programmable microbial ink for 3D printing of living materials produced from genetically engineered protein nanofibers," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 12(1), pages 1-8, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:12:y:2021:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-021-26791-x
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-26791-x
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Peter Q. Nguyen & Zsofia Botyanszki & Pei Kun R. Tay & Neel S. Joshi, 2014. "Programmable biofilm-based materials from engineered curli nanofibres," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 5(1), pages 1-10, December.
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    Cited by:

    1. Sara Molinari & Robert F. Tesoriero & Dong Li & Swetha Sridhar & Rong Cai & Jayashree Soman & Kathleen R. Ryan & Paul D. Ashby & Caroline M. Ajo-Franklin, 2022. "A de novo matrix for macroscopic living materials from bacteria," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-13, December.
    2. Yangteng Ou & Shixiang Cao & Yang Zhang & Hongjia Zhu & Chengzhi Guo & Wei Yan & Fengxue Xin & Weiliang Dong & Yanli Zhang & Masashi Narita & Ziyi Yu & Tuomas P. J. Knowles, 2023. "Bioprinting microporous functional living materials from protein-based core-shell microgels," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-14, December.

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