Programmable CRISPR-responsive smart materials.
basic_science · Level V
Where this comes from
- Record sourced from PubMed, PMID 31439791.
- Also identified by DOI 10.1126/science.aaw5122.
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Abstract
Stimuli-responsive materials activated by biological signals play an increasingly important role in biotechnology applications. We exploit the programmability of CRISPR-associated nucleases to actuate hydrogels containing DNA as a structural element or as an anchor for pendant groups. After activation by guide RNA-defined inputs, Cas12a cleaves DNA in the gels, thereby converting biological information into changes in material properties. We report four applications: (i) branched poly(ethylene glycol) hydrogels releasing DNA-anchored compounds, (ii) degradable polyacrylamide-DNA hydrogels encapsulating nanoparticles and live cells, (iii) conductive carbon-black-DNA hydrogels acting as degradable electrical fuses, and (iv) a polyacrylamide-DNA hydrogel operating as a fluidic valve with an electrical readout for remote signaling. These materials allow for a range of in vitro applications in tissue engineering, bioelectronics, and diagnostics.
Medical subject headings
- Bacterial Proteins
- Biocompatible Materials
- Biosensing Techniques
- CRISPR-Associated Proteins
- DNA
- Endodeoxyribonucleases
- Hydrogels
- Pathology, Molecular
- Tissue Engineering