Residing Construction Kits: A Reference to Lego Structures for Dwellings
In a groundbreaking development, an interdisciplinary research team led by MIT professor Joern Dunkel and Ingmar Riedel-Kruse of the University of Arizona has made strides in programming genetically engineered bacteria to self-replicate, move, and grow into desired target shapes. This breakthrough, which features on the cover of Nature, promises diverse applications in various fields, from environmental sensing to advanced therapeutics.
The team's work is rooted in advanced genome editing tools such as CRISPR-Cas9, combined with synthetic biology techniques that control gene expression related to growth, motility, and spatial organization. By designing genetic circuits that regulate the bacteria’s protein production, cellular resource allocation, and behaviour in response to environmental cues, the researchers have unlocked the potential for programming these microscopic organisms.
CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing, improved with AI models considering molecular features, allows for precise modifications in bacterial genomes to induce desired traits like motility or shape changes, as demonstrated by research from ORNL. Controlling proteome allocation and ribosome activity modulates growth rates, helping bacteria allocate cellular resources to functions like movement, division, or secretion, enabling programming of growth patterns.
Engineered bacteria can be programmed to form structures by regulating genes involved in biofilm formation, cell adhesion, and motility, potentially guided by synthetic genetic circuits that respond to positional or chemical signals. Multiplexing sensing abilities in engineered bacteria allows them to interpret environmental signals, which can be integrated into shape or movement controls. For instance, bacteria that detect pollutants can respond by growing or aggregating in specific patterns.
The potential practical applications of this research are vast. In the realm of environmental sensing and remediation, bacteria could be engineered to detect and respond to toxins or pollutants by moving towards them or forming structures that concentrate contaminants for easier cleanup. In the field of biofabrication and materials science, programming bacteria to self-organize into specific shapes could enable living materials and self-assembling biological scaffolds for tissue engineering or novel manufacturing.
Biomedical uses could see engineered bacteria or their derivatives (e.g., outer membrane vesicles) tailored for drug delivery, diagnostics, or therapeutic applications by controlling their growth and targeting behaviours. Industrial biotechnology could optimize microbial strains for the production of chemicals, fuels, or enzymes through precise control of growth and metabolic functions.
The work was supported by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation and the National Science Foundation. Honesty Kim, a researcher in the Riedel-Kruse lab, is the first author of the research paper. Dunkel and his PhD student Dominic Skinner sought to formulate a mathematical model to simulate the growth and dynamics of the bacterial swarms and predict the formation of interface patterns.
David Glass, Alexander Hamby, and Bradey Stuart, who were with the Riedel-Kruse lab, are co-authors of the research paper. Skinner compares the programmed bacteria to living Lego bricks, while Dunkel discusses the possibility of creating bio-sensors, where bacteria write human-readable messages when they sense a molecule in their environment. The Riedel-Kruse lab has also developed a bioengineering toolbox that controls cell-to-cell adhesion properties of motile bacterial cells.
This research represents a significant leap forward in the field of synthetic biology, opening up a world of possibilities for practical applications in various industries. As the team plans to grow three-dimensional structures in the near future and add additional functionalities to the bacteria, such as the ability to produce certain chemicals in desired locations, the future of engineered bacteria in shaping our world is undeniably exciting.
- The research team's work is centered around genome editing tools like CRISPR-Cas9 and synthetic biology techniques, enabling them to program genetically engineered bacteria to Self-replicate, move, and grow into desired target shapes.
- In mental health-and-wellness, engineered bacteria could potentially be used to create bio-sensors, where they write human-readable messages when they sense a molecule in their environment.
- By designing genetic circuits that regulate protein production, cellular resource allocation, and behavior in response to environmental cues, the researchers have paved the way for programming these microscopic organisms, offering promising applications in science, engineering, and technology.
- In the field of health-and-wellness, engineered bacteria or their derivatives could be tailored for drug delivery, diagnostics, or therapeutic applications, thanks to the precision afforded by controlling their growth and targeting behaviors.
