PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Rivera-Tarazona, L. K.
AU  - Bhat, V. D.
AU  - Kim, H.
AU  - Campbell, Z. T.
AU  - Ware, T. H.
TI  - Shape-morphing living composites
AID  - 10.1126/sciadv.aax8582
DP  - 2020 Jan 01
TA  - Science Advances
PG  - eaax8582
VI  - 6
IP  - 3
4099  - http://advances.sciencemag.org/content/6/3/eaax8582.short
4100  - http://advances.sciencemag.org/content/6/3/eaax8582.full
SO  - Sci Adv2020 Jan 01; 6
AB  - This work establishes a means to exploit genetic networks to create living synthetic composites that change shape in response to specific biochemical or physical stimuli. Baker’s yeast embedded in a hydrogel forms a responsive material where cellular proliferation leads to a controllable increase in the composite volume of up to 400%. Genetic manipulation of the yeast enables composites where volume change on exposure to l-histidine is 14× higher than volume change when exposed to d-histidine or other amino acids. By encoding an optogenetic switch into the yeast, spatiotemporally controlled shape change is induced with pulses of dim blue light (2.7 mW/cm2). These living, shape-changing materials may enable sensors or medical devices that respond to highly specific cues found within a biological milieu.