Abstract
Natural materials, such as biofilms and tissues, sense and respond to environmental signals using genetic, metabolic, and proteomic machinery. This machinery allows natural materials to actuate changes with unmatched spatiotemporal precision. However, natural materials are relatively limited in morphology and functionality compared to synthetic materials. In an effort to enhance synthetic materials with the capabilities of living systems, we describe recent efforts to control synthetic polymerizations using live cells as actuators. Both microbes and eukaryotic cells have been employed in radical and oxidative polymerizations, significantly expanding the synthetic scope available to living systems. In addition, these mechanisms have enabled construction of polymer networks and hydrogels that resemble natural materials like tissues. Future efforts in synthetic biology, combined with new methods for reprogramming metabolism to control abiotic chemistry, will enable more platforms that synergistically enhance synthetic materials with living functions.
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Graham, A.J., Keitz, B.K. (2022). Living Synthetic Polymerizations. In: Srubar III, W.V. (eds) Engineered Living Materials. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-92949-7_2
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