Bioprinting of live cells enhances catalytic efficiency

Critical to the success of high-performance, three-dimensional (3D) printed living materials is the development of new ink materials and 3D geometries that favor long-term cell functionality. To address this challenge, a cross-directorate LLNL team, collaborating with National Renewable Energy Laboratory researchers, has invented a new bio-ink system using viable freeze-dried cell powder for direct-ink-writing applications. The printed geometries demonstrate a range of desirable characteristics—high resolution, high complexity, large scale, unprecedented cell loading, high catalytic efficiency, and long-term functionality. In a case study of a fungus strain, Baker’s yeast, the researches demonstrated rapid conversion of glucose to ethanol and carbon dioxide gas, making a “beer.” This approach can be readily applied to a wide range of cell types, both wild-type and engineered strains, including bacteria, algae, and plant cells. The new living materials developed in this work could serve as a versatile platform for process intensification of an array of bioconversion processes utilizing diverse microbial biocatalysts for production of high-value products or bioremediation applications.

The paper describing the experimental results has been selected as an ACS Editors’ Choice article and will appear on the front cover of the June issue of Nano Letters. This research is funded by Laboratory Directed Research and Development Program (17-FS-027 and 19-ERD-005).

[F. Qian, C. Zhu, J.M. Knipe, S. Ruelas, J.K. Stolaroff, J.R. DeOtte, E.B. Duoss, C.M. Spadaccini, C.A. Henard, M.T. Guarnieri, and S.E. Baker, Direct writing of tunable living inks for bioprocess intensification, Nano Letters, available online on January 31, 2019, doi: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.9b00066.]