Engineering living and regenerative fungal-bacterial biocomposite structures

Lignocellulosic waste is transformed into fungal-bacterial biocomposites that can be processed into recyclable, human-scale structural objects with biosynthetic and sensing-reporting functionalities. Engineered living materials could have the capacity to self-repair and self-replicate, sense local and distant disturbances in their environment, and respond with functionalities for reporting, actuation or remediation. However, few engineered living materials are capable of both responsivity and use in macroscopic structures. Here we describe the development, characterization and engineering of a fungal-bacterial biocomposite grown on lignocellulosic feedstocks that can form mouldable, foldable and regenerative living structures. We have developed strategies to make human-scale biocomposite structures using mould-based and origami-inspired growth and assembly paradigms. Microbiome profiling of the biocomposite over multiple generations enabled the identification of a dominant bacterial component, Pantoea agglomerans, which was further isolated and developed into a new chassis. We introduced engineered P. agglomerans into native feedstocks to yield living blocks with new biosynthetic and sensing-reporting capabilities. Bioprospecting the native microbiota to develop engineerable chassis constitutes an important strategy to facilitate the development of living biomaterials with new properties and functionalities.

Automated summary

The study presents a method to transform lignocellulosic waste into fungal-bacterial biocomposites for the production of moldable, foldable, and regenerative living structures. By analyzing the microbial composition and introducing engineered bacterial components, new biosynthetic and sensing-reporting capabilities can be developed.