Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.
Institute for Medical Engineering and Science, MIT, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.
Science. 2019 Aug 23;365(6455):780-785. doi: 10.1126/science.aaw5122.
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.
受生物信号激活的响应性材料在生物技术应用中发挥着越来越重要的作用。我们利用 CRISPR 相关核酸酶的可编程性来驱动含有 DNA 的水凝胶，将其作为结构元件或悬垂基团的附着点。在经过指导 RNA 定义的输入激活后，Cas12a 在凝胶中切割 DNA，从而将生物信息转化为材料性质的变化。我们报告了四个应用：（i）释放 DNA 锚定化合物的支化聚乙二醇水凝胶，（ii）包封纳米颗粒和活细胞的可降解聚丙烯酰胺-DNA 水凝胶，（iii）作为可降解电保险丝的导电炭黑-DNA 水凝胶，以及（iv）作为带有电读出远程信号的流体阀的聚丙烯酰胺-DNA 水凝胶。这些材料可用于组织工程、生物电子学和诊断学中的多种体外应用。
