TY - JOUR
T1 - Three-dimensional Patterning of Engineered Biofilms with a Do-it-yourself Bioprinter
AU - Spiesz, Ewa M.
AU - Yu, Kui
AU - Lehner, Benjamin A.E.
AU - Schmieden, Dominik T.
AU - Aubin-Tam, Marie Eve
AU - Meyer, Anne S.
PY - 2019
Y1 - 2019
N2 - Biofilms are aggregates of bacteria embedded in a self-produced spatially-patterned extracellular matrix. Bacteria within a biofilm develop enhanced antibiotic resistance, which poses potential health dangers, but can also be beneficial for environmental applications such as purification of drinking water. The further development of anti-bacterial therapeutics and biofilm-inspired applications will require the development of reproducible, engineerable methods for biofilm creation. Recently, a novel method of biofilm preparation using a modified three-dimensional (3D) printer with a bacterial ink has been developed. This article describes the steps necessary to build this efficient, low-cost 3D bioprinter that offers multiple applications in bacterially-induced materials processing. The protocol begins with an adapted commercial 3D printer in which the extruder has been replaced with a bio-ink dispenser connected to a syringe pump system enabling a controllable, continuous flow of bio-ink. To develop a bio-ink suitable for biofilm printing, engineered Escherichia coli bacteria were suspended in a solution of alginate, so that they solidify in contact with a surface containing calcium. The inclusion of an inducer chemical within the printing substrate drives expression of biofilm proteins within the printed bio-ink. This method enables 3D printing of various spatial patterns composed of discrete layers of printed biofilms. Such spatially-controlled biofilms can serve as model systems and can find applications in multiple fields that have a wide-ranging impact on society, including antibiotic resistance prevention or drinking water purification, among others.
AB - Biofilms are aggregates of bacteria embedded in a self-produced spatially-patterned extracellular matrix. Bacteria within a biofilm develop enhanced antibiotic resistance, which poses potential health dangers, but can also be beneficial for environmental applications such as purification of drinking water. The further development of anti-bacterial therapeutics and biofilm-inspired applications will require the development of reproducible, engineerable methods for biofilm creation. Recently, a novel method of biofilm preparation using a modified three-dimensional (3D) printer with a bacterial ink has been developed. This article describes the steps necessary to build this efficient, low-cost 3D bioprinter that offers multiple applications in bacterially-induced materials processing. The protocol begins with an adapted commercial 3D printer in which the extruder has been replaced with a bio-ink dispenser connected to a syringe pump system enabling a controllable, continuous flow of bio-ink. To develop a bio-ink suitable for biofilm printing, engineered Escherichia coli bacteria were suspended in a solution of alginate, so that they solidify in contact with a surface containing calcium. The inclusion of an inducer chemical within the printing substrate drives expression of biofilm proteins within the printed bio-ink. This method enables 3D printing of various spatial patterns composed of discrete layers of printed biofilms. Such spatially-controlled biofilms can serve as model systems and can find applications in multiple fields that have a wide-ranging impact on society, including antibiotic resistance prevention or drinking water purification, among others.
KW - 3D bioprinter
KW - 3D printing
KW - Additive manufacturing
KW - Bacteria 3D printing
KW - Bacterial applications
KW - Bio-ink
KW - Bioengineering
KW - Biofilms
KW - Issue 147
KW - Spatially structured materials
KW - Synthetic biology
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85067126801&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.3791/59477
DO - 10.3791/59477
M3 - Article
C2 - 31157785
AN - SCOPUS:85067126801
SN - 1940-087X
VL - 2019
JO - Journal of visualized experiments : JoVE
JF - Journal of visualized experiments : JoVE
IS - 147
M1 - e59477
ER -