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Metabolism Control in 3D-Printed Living Materials Improves Fermentation
Tobias Butelmann1,2, Hans Priks1, Zoel Parent3
1Institute of Technology, University of Tartu, 50411 Tartu, Estonia.
ACS Applied Bio Materials
|January 10, 2022
Summary
Three-dimensional printed living materials (LMs) show impaired oxygen consumption, favoring fermentation. This 3D printing approach enhances ethanol production in microaerobic bioprocesses like brewing.
Area of Science:
- Biomaterials Engineering
- Synthetic Biology
- Bioprocess Engineering
Background:
- Three-dimensional (3D) printing of cell-laden hydrogels creates living materials (LMs) for biosensors and biomanufacturing.
- Cross-linkable F127-bis-urethane methacrylate (F127-BUM) hydrogels offer reproducible 3D printing and physiological stability for LMs.
- Oxygen diffusion in F127-BUM LMs is critical for understanding cellular respiration and metabolic processes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine oxygen permissibility within F127-BUM-based LMs.
- To compare oxygen consumption and metabolic activity of yeast in LMs versus suspension cultures.
- To evaluate the efficiency of LMs in microaerobic bioprocesses, specifically ethanol production in brewing.
Main Methods:
- Quantified dissolved oxygen consumption in budding yeast-laden F127-BUM LMs.
- Developed a method for isolating cells from LMs for flow cytometry and viability analysis.
- Compared oxygen consumption and ethanol production in LMs against traditional suspension cultures.
Main Results:
- Oxygen consumption was significantly impaired within the F127-BUM LMs, indicating a shift towards fermentation.
- Yeast metabolism within LMs primarily relied on fermentation rather than respiration.
- 3D printed LMs resulted in higher ethanol production (3.7%) compared to traditional brewing methods.
Conclusions:
- F127-BUM-based LMs are suitable for microaerobic bioprocesses due to enhanced fermentation.
- Further research is needed to develop LMs capable of supporting aerobic bioprocesses.
- 3D printed living materials offer a promising platform for optimizing biomanufacturing processes.
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