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    Guiding Bacterial Activity for Biofabrication of Complex Materials via Controlled Wetting of Superhydrophobic Surfaces

    Year: 2020

    Journal: ACS Nano, Volume 14, OCT 27, page 12929–12937

    Authors: Greca, Luiz G.; Rafiee, Mahdi; Karakoca, Alp; Lehtonen, Janika; Mattos, Bruno D.; Tardy, Blaise L.; Rojas, Orlando J.

    Organizations: European Research Council under the European UnionEuropean Research Council (ERC) [788489]; Academy of FinlandAcademy of FinlandEuropean Commission [318890, 318891]; Aalto University School of Chemical Engineering doctoral program

    Keywords: bacterial motility; capillary wetting; chemotaxis; living materials; nanofiber alignment; fouling; superhydrophobic surfaces

    Superhydrophobic surfaces are promising for preventing fouling and the formation of biofilms, with important implications in the food chain, maritime transport, and health sciences, among others. In this work, we exploit the interplay between wetting principles of superhydrophobic surfaces and microbial fouling for advanced three-dimensional (3D) biofabrication of biofilms. We utilize hydrostatic and capillary pressures to finely control the air water interface and the aerotaxis-driven biofabrication on superhydrophobic surfaces. Superhydrophobic 3D molds are produced by a simple surface modification that partially embeds hydrophobic particles in silicone rubber. Thereafter, the molds tallow the templating of the air water interface of the culture medium, where the aerobic nanocellulose-producing bacteria (Komagataetbacter mede hnensis) are incubated. The biofabricated replicasare hollow and seamless nanofibrous objects with a controlled morphology. Gradients of thickness, topographical feature and fiber orientation on the biofilm are obtained by controlling wetting, incubation time, and nutrient availability, Furthermore, we demonstrate that capillary length limitations are overcome by using pressurized closed molds,. wheree by a Persistent air plastron allows the formation of 3D microstructures, regardless of their morphological complexity.iiv also demonstrate that interfacial biofabricationis maintained for at least 12 days without observable fouling of the mold surface.In summary, we achieve controlled biofouling of the air water interface as imposedexperimental'by the expemental framework under controlled wetting. The latter is central to both microorganism-based biofabrication and fouling, which are major factors connecting nanoscience, synthetic biology, and microbiology.
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