Printed Dual Cell Arrays for Multiplexed Sensing

Area of Science:

• Biotechnology
• Biosensor technology
• Synthetic biology

Background:

• Multiplexing sensing requires robust platforms for detecting multiple analytes simultaneously.
• Encapsulation of bacterial cells is crucial for biosensor stability and longevity.
• Inkjet printing offers precise control for fabricating complex biological arrays.

Purpose of the Study:

• To demonstrate inkjet printing of large-scale, dual-type encapsulated bacterial cell arrays for multiplexed sensing.
• To develop a robust and long-living biosensor prototype for field applications.
• To investigate the functional stability of encapsulated engineered bacteria.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of multilayered silk ionomer structures using inkjet printing to create microscopic nests.
• Sequential encapsulation of two types of bioengineered E. coli cells (green-GFPa1 and red-turboRFP reporters) within silk nests.
• Assessment of the dual-cell arrays' response to mixed analyte environments and their stability after prolonged storage.

Main Results:

• Successful fabrication of uniform, dual-type encapsulated bacterial cell arrays via inkjet printing.
• Demonstrated preservation of cell function and dual red-green fluorescence response to mixed analytes.
• Arrays showed robust performance after 3 months of storage under ambient conditions, indicating long-term viability.

Conclusions:

• Inkjet printing enables the creation of advanced multiplexed biosensors with encapsulated bacterial cells.
• The developed silk-based bacterial cell arrays are stable, functional, and suitable for prolonged storage.
• This technology represents a promising prototype for robust, field-deployable multiplexed biosensing applications.