Programmable CRISPR-responsive smart materials.
Max A EnglishLuis R SoeknsenRaphael V GayetHelena de PuigNicolaas M Angenent-MariAngelo S MaoPeter Q NguyenJames J CollinsPublished in: Science (New York, N.Y.) (2020)
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.
Keyphrases
- tissue engineering
- circulating tumor
- cell free
- single molecule
- drug delivery
- genome editing
- crispr cas
- nucleic acid
- hyaluronic acid
- extracellular matrix
- wound healing
- healthcare
- circulating tumor cells
- genome wide
- heart failure
- cell proliferation
- signaling pathway
- coronary artery disease
- health information
- social media
- oxidative stress