Search research articles

Related Concept Videos

Synthetic Biology

Synthetic Biology

Synthetic biology is an interdisciplinary science that involves using principles from disciplines such as engineering, molecular biology, cell biology, and systems biology. It involves remodeling existing organisms from nature or constructing completely new synthetic organisms for applications such as protein or enzyme production, bioremediation, value-added macromolecule production, and the addition of desirable traits to crops, to name a few.
Golden rice
Golden rice is a genetically modified...

Environmental Applications of Microorganisms

Environmental Applications of Microorganisms

Microorganisms play a pivotal role in maintaining ecosystem balance by recycling essential elements such as carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus, as well as supporting processes like bioremediation, wastewater treatment, and biofuel production.Microbes in Elemental CyclesIn the carbon cycle, microorganisms decompose organic matter, releasing carbon dioxide via aerobic respiration. This carbon dioxide is subsequently used by photosynthetic organisms to synthesize organic compounds, closing the...

Microbial Fermentation

Microbial Fermentation

Fermentation is a crucial anaerobic metabolic process that enables microbes to derive energy from sugar without relying on oxygen or an electron transport chain. This process is fundamental to various biological and industrial applications and is classified based on the metabolic products generated.Role of Pyruvate in FermentationPyruvate and its derivatives serve as key electron acceptors in fermentative pathways. The oxidation of NADH to regenerate NAD+ is essential for the continuation of...

Methods for Controlling Microbial Growth

Methods for Controlling Microbial Growth

Microbial growth control refers to various methods employed to inhibit, reduce, or eliminate microorganisms to ensure safety and hygiene across different settings. These methods are categorized based on the target environment and the level of microbial control required.Biocides are versatile agents designed to control microorganisms by either inhibiting their growth or outright killing them. These agents work through various physical, chemical, mechanical, or biological mechanisms. The...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Rational design of T-DNA vectors enables predictable, single-copy integration in <i>Arabidopsis thaliana</i>.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2026

Same author

Synthetic circuits for cell ratio control.

Nature·2026

Same author

Engineering non-ribosomal peptide synthesis: tuning the antibiotics engine of the microbial world.

Critical reviews in biotechnology·2026

Same author

Slowpoke: An Automated Golden Gate Cloning Workflow for Opentrons OT-2 and Flex.

ACS synthetic biology·2026

Same author

Programmable cell-cell adhesion in synthetic yeast communities for improved bioproduction.

Nature chemical biology·2026

Same author

Bacterially grown living materials with resistant and on-demand functionality.

Science advances·2025

Same journal

Twist-angle-controlled anomalous gating in bilayer graphene/BN heterostructures.

Nature materials·2026

Same journal

Engineered living materials need engineered EU regulation.

Nature materials·2026

Same journal

Multimodal scanning-probe quantum sensing of quantum materials.

Nature materials·2026

Same journal

Publisher Correction: Ultralow-voltage electrochemical organic light-emitting transistors with pinned and wide lateral recombination.

Nature materials·2026

Same journal

High-Chern-number orbital magnetism in twisted rhombohedral graphene.

Nature materials·2026

Same journal

Programming local confinements in crystalline frameworks through reticular chemistry.

Nature materials·2026

See all related articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Nov 21, 2025

Using Synthetic Biology to Engineer Living Cells That Interface with Programmable Materials

Using Synthetic Biology to Engineer Living Cells That Interface with Programmable Materials

Published on: March 9, 2017

Living materials with programmable functionalities grown from engineered microbial co-cultures.

Charlie Gilbert^1,2, Tzu-Chieh Tang^3,4,5, Wolfgang Ott^1,2

¹Imperial College Centre for Synthetic Biology, Imperial College London, London, UK.

Nature Materials

|January 12, 2021

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Researchers created new living materials using yeast and bacteria. These materials can be programmed to act as catalysts or sensors, opening doors for advanced biosensing and biocatalysis applications.

More Related Videos

Design and Implementation of an Automated Illuminating, Culturing, and Sampling System for Microbial Optogenetic Applications

Design and Implementation of an Automated Illuminating, Culturing, and Sampling System for Microbial Optogenetic Applications

Published on: February 19, 2017

Light-Controlled Fermentations for Microbial Chemical and Protein Production

Light-Controlled Fermentations for Microbial Chemical and Protein Production

Published on: March 22, 2022

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Nov 21, 2025

Using Synthetic Biology to Engineer Living Cells That Interface with Programmable Materials

Using Synthetic Biology to Engineer Living Cells That Interface with Programmable Materials

Published on: March 9, 2017

Design and Implementation of an Automated Illuminating, Culturing, and Sampling System for Microbial Optogenetic Applications

Design and Implementation of an Automated Illuminating, Culturing, and Sampling System for Microbial Optogenetic Applications

Published on: February 19, 2017

Light-Controlled Fermentations for Microbial Chemical and Protein Production

Light-Controlled Fermentations for Microbial Chemical and Protein Production

Published on: March 22, 2022

Area of Science:

Biomaterials Engineering
Synthetic Biology
Microbiology

Background:

Biological systems exhibit self-patterning, self-repair, and environmental sensing capabilities.
Engineered living materials (ELMs) aim to replicate natural biomaterial properties using genetically modified organisms.
Bacterial cellulose (BC) is a natural biomaterial with unique properties.

Purpose of the Study:

To develop a novel platform for fabricating functional bacterial cellulose-based engineered living materials.
To explore the use of a stable co-culture of Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast and Komagataeibacter rhaeticus bacteria for material fabrication.
To demonstrate the potential for creating autonomously catalytic and responsive living materials.

Main Methods:

Utilized a stable co-culture of Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Komagataeibacter rhaeticus.
Engineered yeast strains to secrete enzymes into the bacterial cellulose matrix.
Incorporated engineered yeast directly within the growing cellulose matrix.
Investigated DNA-encoded modification of bacterial cellulose properties.

Main Results:

Successfully fabricated bacterial cellulose-based living materials.
Demonstrated yeast secretion of enzymes for autonomously grown catalytic materials.
Enabled DNA-encoded modification of bacterial cellulose bulk properties.
Created living materials capable of sensing and responding to chemical and optical stimuli.

Conclusions:

A symbiotic co-culture of yeast and bacteria provides a flexible platform for producing engineered living materials.
These BC-based ELMs offer potential applications in biosensing and biocatalysis.
The developed approach enables the creation of functional, responsive, and customizable living materials.