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Interactive Materials for Bidirectional Redox‐Based Communication
Author(s) -
Li Jinyang,
Wang Sally P.,
Zong Guanghui,
Kim Eunkyoung,
Tsao ChenYu,
VanArsdale Eric,
Wang LaiXi,
Bentley William E.,
Payne Gregory F.
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
advanced materials
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 10.707
H-Index - 527
eISSN - 1521-4095
pISSN - 0935-9648
DOI - 10.1002/adma.202007758
Subject(s) - redox , nanotechnology , materials science , molecule , conjugated system , catechol , electron transfer , combinatorial chemistry , chemistry , polymer , photochemistry , organic chemistry , metallurgy , composite material
Emerging research indicates that biology routinely uses diffusible redox‐active molecules to mediate communication that can span biological systems (e.g., nervous and immune) and even kingdoms (e.g., a microbiome and its plant/animal host). This redox modality also provides new opportunities to create interactive materials that can communicate with living systems. Here, it is reported that the fabrication of a redox‐active hydrogel film can autonomously synthesize a H 2 O 2 signaling molecule for communication with a bacterial population. Specifically, a catechol‐conjugated/crosslinked 4‐armed thiolated poly(ethylene glycol) hydrogel film is electrochemically fabricated in which the added catechol moieties confer redox activity: the film can accept electrons from biological reductants (e.g., ascorbate) and donate electrons to O 2 to generate H 2 O 2 . Electron‐transfer from an Escherichia coli culture poises this film to generate the H 2 O 2 signaling molecule that can induce bacterial gene expression from a redox‐responsive operon. Overall, this work demonstrates that catecholic materials can participate in redox‐based interactions that elicit specific biological responses, and also suggests the possibility that natural phenolics may be a ubiquitous biological example of interactive materials.