bims-livmat 2026-07-26 papers

Trends Biotechnol. 2026 Jul 21. pii: S0167-7799(26)00287-8. [Epub ahead of print]

Chemical actuation expands the design space of living light materials.

Chemical stimulation represents a new strategy for controlling bioluminescence in engineered living materials (ELMs). Brachi et al. demonstrate that embedding the naturally bioluminescent dinoflagellate Pyrocystis lunula within 3D-printed hydrogels enables sustained, reusable optical responses through chemical and mechanical activation. This work expands the design strategies available for optically ELMs.

Keywords: Pyrocystis lunula; bioluminescence; chemical stimulation; engineered living materials; stimuli-responsive materials

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tibtech.2026.07.008

Sci Adv. 2026 Jul 24. 12(30): eaed6937

A programmable fungal platform for engineered living textiles.

Ke Li, Bolin An, Jicong Zhang, Dongmin Xun, Xinyi Yuan, Youyang Song, Xinyu Wang, Chao Zhong.

A central challenge in engineered living materials (ELMs) is the seamless integration of macroscopic structural assembly with sustained cellular viability and programmable function. Here, we report a fungal-based living material that addresses this challenge by preserving the metabolic activity of Cordyceps militaris mycelia within macroscale, cohesive films fabricated via a low-energy process. These living textiles retain the capacity for environmental response, demonstrated by nutrient-induced aerial hyphal growth that enables surface renewal. The native mycelial architecture further allows for volumetric integration of engineered microbial partners, exemplified by coculture with pigment-producing Saccharomyces cerevisiae for in situ patterning and melanized Aspergillus niger for built-in ultraviolet shielding. This modular design decouples bulk structural fabrication from genetic functionalization, offering a plug-and-play platform for synthetic biology. Environmental assessments confirm near-complete morphological degradation within 41 days. Our work establishes a scalable and sustainable chassis for functional ELMs, bridging a critical gap between structural integrity and biological programmability.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.aed6937

Small. 2026 Jul 21. e74410

Gene Editing-Driven Engineering of Microbial Systems and Metabolites for Precision Medicine and Sustainable Environmental Remediation.

Yangyang Du, Yunjia Shi, Dazhi Chen, Shuang Wang, Juanjuan Su, Kai Liu, Hongjie Zhang, Fan Wang.

The engineering of microorganisms is undergoing a fundamental paradigm shift, transitioning from the construction of static cell factories to the programming of dynamically responsive living materials. However, translating molecular interventions into robust macroscopic functions requires overcoming distinct microbial-specific barriers, including delivery bottlenecks and genetic stability. In this review, we establish a unified Edit-Reprogram-Functionalize conceptual framework that systematically delineates transient genetic regulation from permanent genomic engineering. We critically examine the evolutionary trajectories of five foundational technologies: plasmid engineering, CRISPR-Cas systems, base editors, prime editors, and enzyme engineering. Rather than analyzing these toolsets in isolation, we map their convergence into an integrated engineering continuum that drives the precise synthesis of two distinct output classes: engineered living microbial materials and robust microbial metabolite-derived materials. By evaluating representative breakthroughs-from ultrasound-actuated bacterial therapeutics to ultra-tough, biosynthesized protein composites-through the strict lens of host-dependent constraints, we reveal the mechanistic principles governing successful preclinical translation. Finally, we propose an actionable roadmap centered on systemic miniaturization, closed-loop control, and multi-scale integration, providing a definitive blueprint for the next generation of precision medicine, advanced biomanufacturing, and ecological remediation.

Keywords: biomanufacturing; enzyme engineering; gene editing; microbial engineering; precision medicine

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/smll.74410

Adv Sci (Weinh). 2026 Jul 23. e76706

Programmable Encapsulation Enables On-Demand Proliferation of Therapeutic Bacteria for Potent Cancer Immunotherapy.

Jianhui Yang, Ao Peng, Shuaiqiang Li, Yaning Huang, Jian Yan, Leyuan Wang, Zhihui Zhu, Fei-Long Liu, Erbao Bian, Yang Liu, Dasheng Tian, Fenghe Li, Qi Liu.

Engineered bacteria have emerged as a promising therapeutic modality but face safety risks and delivery challenges in clinical practice. Herein, we develop a programmable encapsulation technology that formulates individual bacteria with a thin formulation layer of cross-linked polymers, which confers live bacteria with reduced immunogenicity and restricted proliferation in healthy organs. To leverage these benefits, an engineered Escherichia coli Nissle strain capable of converting tumor-accumulated ammonia into L-arginine and secreting soluble programmed cell death protein 1 (sPD-1) was encapsulated to synthesize a degradable bacterial capsule, optimizing both biosafety and delivery processes while preserving therapeutic function. Upon reaching the tumors, matrix metalloproteinase-2 triggers bacterial release and local proliferation, achieving L-arginine-driven tumor immune microenvironment modulation and sustained PD-L1 blockade, ultimately initiating robust antitumor immune responses. Overall, this programmable encapsulation platform tackles both safety risks and delivery challenges of bacterial medicines, broadening the clinical application prospects of live bacterial therapeutics.

Keywords: bacterial capsule; cancer immunotherapy; immune checkpoint blockade; live bacterial therapeutic; l‐arginine supplementation

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/advs.76706

Small Sci. 2026 Jul;6(7): e70331

Programable and Spatially Conforming Assembly of Engineered Living Materials Onto Electrodes via Redox.

Chen-Yu Chen, Monica J Chu, Fauziah Rahma Zakaria, Eunkyoung Kim, Divya Muthusamy, Gregory F Payne, William E Bentley.

We developed an electrobiofabrication methodology that assembles well-defined cell/gel formations directly onto electrodes. For this, we oxidatively crosslinked terminal thiols of a 4-arm thiolated polyethylene glycol (PEG) by the purposeful addition of a ferrocene redox mediator to a PEG/cell assembly solution and the application of an oxidizing charge to an electrode. Because the resulting disulfide bonds are created near the electrode, the crosslinked hydrogel assembly is defined by the electrode dimensions and the time over which the oxidative potential is applied. Results indicate a strong positive correlation between the mediator concentration, the delivered oxidative charge, the number density of cells in the assembly solution and the subsequent gel thickness and density. In all cases tested, the viability of the assembled cells (E. coli bacteria) was near 100%. We further demonstrated a gravity-mediated layering methodology to create spatially defined interfaces, as well as electroassembly onto various conductive materials of nearly arbitrary shape. These results represent a means for electronic or "programed" assembly of cell laden hydrogels, enabling further study of cell-cell interactions, cell-device interactions, biosensing, device ⇔ bio communication, and several applications such as electrogenetics wherein cell genetic circuits are actuated by application of electrical potentials using a redox-enabled communication modality.

Keywords: bioelectronics; electrobiofabrication; electrochemical sensing; hydrogel

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/smsc.70331