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Engineering Bacillus subtilis for the formation of a durable living biocomposite material

Author

Listed:
  • Sun-Young Kang

    (University of Minnesota
    University of Minnesota)

  • Anaya Pokhrel

    (University of Minnesota
    University of Minnesota)

  • Sara Bratsch

    (University of Minnesota
    University of Minnesota)

  • Joey J. Benson

    (University of Minnesota)

  • Seung-Oh Seo

    (University of Minnesota
    University of Minnesota)

  • Maureen B. Quin

    (University of Minnesota
    University of Minnesota)

  • Alptekin Aksan

    (University of Minnesota
    University of Minnesota)

  • Claudia Schmidt-Dannert

    (University of Minnesota
    University of Minnesota)

Abstract

Engineered living materials (ELMs) are a fast-growing area of research that combine approaches in synthetic biology and material science. Here, we engineer B. subtilis to become a living component of a silica material composed of self-assembling protein scaffolds for functionalization and cross-linking of cells. B. subtilis is engineered to display SpyTags on polar flagella for cell attachment to SpyCatcher modified secreted scaffolds. We engineer endospore limited B. subtilis cells to become a structural component of the material with spores for long-term storage of genetic programming. Silica biomineralization peptides are screened and scaffolds designed for silica polymerization to fabricate biocomposite materials with enhanced mechanical properties. We show that the resulting ELM can be regenerated from a piece of cell containing silica material and that new functions can be incorporated by co-cultivation of engineered B. subtilis strains. We believe that this work will serve as a framework for the future design of resilient ELMs.

Suggested Citation

  • Sun-Young Kang & Anaya Pokhrel & Sara Bratsch & Joey J. Benson & Seung-Oh Seo & Maureen B. Quin & Alptekin Aksan & Claudia Schmidt-Dannert, 2021. "Engineering Bacillus subtilis for the formation of a durable living biocomposite material," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 12(1), pages 1-17, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:12:y:2021:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-021-27467-2
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-27467-2
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    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.
    2. Joaquin Caro-Astorga & Kenneth T. Walker & Natalia Herrera & Koon-Yang Lee & Tom Ellis, 2021. "Bacterial cellulose spheroids as building blocks for 3D and patterned living materials and for regeneration," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 12(1), pages 1-9, 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.

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