3D Printing of Microbial Communities for Optimal Resource Processing
Abstract
Biofilms are self-organized, cooperative communities of microbial cells embedded in a matrix of extracellular polymeric substances. These films play beneficial and detrimental roles in almost every environment on the planet, including human and human-made environments, and impact water, food, energy, human health, and environmental health. Biofilm physiology is governed by the behaviors of individual cells, which are determined by biofilm structure and environmental conditions. Most biofilms contain multiple species and self-assemble under complex, poorly defined environmental conditions, so biofilm structure-function relationships remain poorly understood, and methods for controlling the spatial positioning of individual cells within a biofilm are needed. To address this, we will establish materials and methods for structuring hydrogel-based microbial communities in three dimensions with light-based 3D printing. We will use this technology to determine conditions for optimal resource processing in a two-population syntrophic bacterial-archaeal community formed by the sulfate-reducing bacterium, Desulfovibrio vulgaris, and the archaeal methanogen, Methanococcus maripaludis. These organisms are representative of interactive groups that play crucial roles in nutrient and carbon cycling for different anaerobic environments.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- May 20, 2019
- Source ID
- W911NF1910288
Entities
People
- James N. Wilking
Organizations
- Army Contracting Command
- Montana State University
- United States Army