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End date: 2024 × Start date: 2020 × DDC: 570 × DDC: 600 × Has files: Yes ×

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Now showing 1 - 4 of 4
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    Encapsulation of bacteria in bilayer Pluronic thin film hydrogels: A safe format for engineered living materials
    (Amsterdam : Elsevier, 2023) Bhusari, Shardul; Kim, Juhyun; Polizzi, Karen; Sankaran, Shrikrishnan; del Campo, Aránzazu
    In engineered living materials (ELMs) non-living matrices encapsulate microorganisms to acquire capabilities like sensing or biosynthesis. The confinement of the organisms to the matrix and the prevention of overgrowth and escape during the lifetime of the material is necessary for the application of ELMs into real devices. In this study, a bilayer thin film hydrogel of Pluronic F127 and Pluronic F127 acrylate polymers supported on a solid substrate is introduced. The inner hydrogel layer contains genetically engineered bacteria and supports their growth, while the outer layer acts as an envelope and does not allow leakage of the living organisms outside of the film for at least 15 days. Due to the flat and transparent nature of the construct, the thin layer is suited for microscopy and spectroscopy-based analyses. The composition and properties of the inner and outer layer are adjusted independently to fulfil viability and confinement requirements. We demonstrate that bacterial growth and light-induced protein production are possible in the inner layer and their extent is influenced by the crosslinking degree of the used hydrogel. Bacteria inside the hydrogel are viable long term, they can act as lactate-sensors and remain active after storage in phosphate buffer at room temperature for at least 3 weeks. The versatility of bilayer bacteria thin-films is attractive for fundamental studies and for the development of application-oriented ELMs.
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    Ein Eulenhalsgelenk für effizientere Maschinen
    (Nürnberg : Technische Hochschule Nürnberg, 2022-05-31) Hornfeck, Rüdiger; Löffler, Robin
    Im Rahmen des Projekts „Ein Eulenhalsgelenk für effizientere Maschinen“ wurden biologische Erkenntnisse der extremen Bewegungsfähigkeit der Eulenhalswirbelsäule gesammelt und analysiert, eine energieeffiziente und ressourcenschonende Aktorik ausgewählt, ein Steuerungskonzept auf Basis einer Bewegungssimulation entwickelt und ein Funktionsmuster in Form eines Gelenkroboterarms aufgebaut sowie evaluiert. Die biologische Datensammlung erfolgte in Zusammenarbeit mit dem Lehrstuhl und Institut für Biologie II der RWTH Aachen und dem Tiergarten Nürnberg. Mit Hilfe der umfassenden biologischen Erkenntnisse entstand eine Abstraktion des biologischen Vorbilds hin zu einem technischen Prototyp. Als Antriebstechnik kommen Drahtaktoren aus Formgedächtnislegierungen (FGL) zum Einsatz, welche sich durch eine extreme Energiedichte [1] auszeichnen. Durch diese enorme Energiedichte kann mit geringem Materialeinsatz eine große Arbeit verrichtet werden. Das Steuerungskonzept des Prototyps basiert auf einer Bewegungssimulation, welche durch den Einsatz einer inversen Kinematik realisiert wird. Damit ist es möglich, alle erreichbaren Positionen des Greifers zu erfassen, anhand verschiedener Erreichbarkeitskarten darzustellen und mögliche Vereinfachungen der Einzelwinkel zwischen den Wirbeln zu ermitteln. Der aufgebaute Prototyp wurde hinsichtlich seiner Funktionsfähigkeit, maximalen Belastbarkeit und Dynamik evaluiert.
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    Bacterial symbiont subpopulations have different roles in a deep-sea symbiosis
    (Cambridge : eLife Sciences Publications, 2021) Hinzke, Tjorven; Kleiner, Manuel; Meister, Mareike; Schlüter, Rabea; Hentschker, Christian; Pané-Farré, Jan; Hildebrandt, Petra; Felbeck, Horst; Sievert, Stefan M; Bonn, Florian; Völker, Uwe; Becher, Dörte; Schweder, Thomas; Markert, Stephanie
    The hydrothermal vent tubeworm Riftia pachyptila hosts a single 16S rRNA phylotype of intracellular sulfur-oxidizing symbionts, which vary considerably in cell morphology and exhibit a remarkable degree of physiological diversity and redundancy, even in the same host. To elucidate whether multiple metabolic routes are employed in the same cells or rather in distinct symbiont subpopulations, we enriched symbionts according to cell size by density gradient centrifugation. Metaproteomic analysis, microscopy, and flow cytometry strongly suggest that Riftia symbiont cells of different sizes represent metabolically dissimilar stages of a physiological differentiation process: While small symbionts actively divide and may establish cellular symbiont-host interaction, large symbionts apparently do not divide, but still replicate DNA, leading to DNA endoreduplication. Moreover, in large symbionts, carbon fixation and biomass production seem to be metabolic priorities. We propose that this division of labor between smaller and larger symbionts benefits the productivity of the symbiosis as a whole.
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    Comprehensive Assessment of the Dynamics of Banana Chilling Injury by Advanced Optical Techniques
    (Basel : MDPI, 2021) Herppich, Werner B.; Zsom, Tamás
    Green‐ripe banana fruit are sensitive to chilling injury (CI) and, thus, prone to postharvest quality losses. Early detection of CI facilitates quality maintenance and extends shelf life. CI affects all metabolic levels, with membranes and, consequently, photosynthesis being primary targets. Optical techniques such as chlorophyll a fluorescence analysis (CFA) and spectroscopy are promising tools to evaluate CI effects in photosynthetically active produce. Results obtained on bananas are, however, largely equivocal. This results from the lack of a rigorous evaluation of chilling impacts on the various aspects of photosynthesis. Continuous and modulated CFA and imaging (CFI), and VIS remission spectroscopy (VRS) were concomitantly applied to noninvasively and comprehensively monitor photosynthetically relevant effects of low temperatures (5 °C, 10 °C, 11.5 °C and 13 °C). Detailed analyses of chilling‐related variations in photosynthetic activity and photoprotection, and in contents of relevant pigments in green‐ripe bananas, helped to better understand the physiological changes occurring during CI, highlighting that distinct CFA and VRS parameters comprehensively reflect various effects of chilling on fruit photosynthesis. They revealed why not all CFA parameters can be applied meaningfully for early detection of chilling effects. This study provides relevant requisites for improving CI monitoring and prediction.