Genetically Engineered Bacterial Biohybrid Microswimmers for Sensing Applications.

Area of Science:

• Synthetic biology
• Microscale engineering
• Bacterial communication

Background:

• Bacterial biohybrid microswimmers leverage bacterial motility for microscale transport.
• Bacteria possess natural sensing and response mechanisms, particularly two-component systems (TCSs).
• Engineering bacteria for environmental sensing is crucial for advanced microswimmer applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To engineer Bacillus subtilis as a sensing biohybrid microswimmer.
• To couple bacterial adherence to particles with environmental signal detection.
• To develop microswimmers capable of signaling the presence of specific molecules like antibiotics.

Main Methods:

• Utilized the Gram-positive bacterium Bacillus subtilis as the carrier.
• Engineered two-component systems (TCSs) within B. subtilis to respond to stimuli.
• Facilitated bacterial adhesion to silica particles to create microswimmers.
• Implemented fluorescent reporters for signaling antibiotic presence.

Main Results:

• Successfully created motile biohybrid microswimmers composed of B. subtilis and silica particles.
• Demonstrated that engineered TCSs enable B. subtilis to signal the presence of antibiotics.
• Showcased the ability to customize bacterial hybrid microswimmers for sensing target molecules.

Conclusions:

• Genetically engineered B. subtilis can function as sensing biohybrid microswimmers.
• TCS-mediated signaling allows these microswimmers to detect and report environmental stimuli.
• The GRAS status of B. subtilis suggests potential for human-related applications.