Preparation of Polysaccharide-based Materials by Synthetic Biology

CD Biosynsis uses our synthetic biology platform to help our customers explore the diversity and material properties of polysaccharides as a valuable source of bio-based materials and achieve their potential widespread applications. Our multidisciplinary team can offer their expertise in a wide range of fields such as synthetic biology, materials sciences, and synthetic chemistry to help our customers overcome the challenges in preparing polysaccharide-based materials with desirable or innovative properties.

Background

Polysaccharides are naturally occurring macromolecules that play an important role in structural support, energy storage, and cellular signal transduction. Polysaccharides have attracted great attention due to their excellent biological and physiochemical characteristics, such as biocompatibility, biodegradability, natural abundance, high bioavailability, and nontoxicity, making them ideal materials for a wide range of applications. Polysaccharide-based biomaterials, which are being extensively explored, are of high value for the discovery of new bio-based materials. Synthetic biology strategies offer attractive options for the sustainable and large-scale production of polysaccharide-based materials with desirable properties for industrial and medical applications, and are expected to be a promising alternative to the current production of polysaccharides from natural sources.

Figure 1. Overview of biosynthetic routes to biopolymers. (Anderson L A, et al., 2018)

What We Can Do

CD Biosynsis continues to integrate emerging technologies and tools into our synthetic biology platform. Coupled with our in-depth research on polysaccharides, we have the ability to help our customers develop synthetic biology toolboxes and strategies for the preparation of polysaccharide-based materials with desirable properties.

Highlighted synthetic biology tools and strategies	Engineering of microbial cell factories Engineering of promoter replacement cassettes Engineering of riboswitches to balance glycolytic flux CRISPRi-mediated redirection of carbon flux
Building blocks	Monosaccharides (e.g., glucose, fructose, and galactose.) Polysaccharides (e.g., cellulose, alginate, starch, and glycogen) Sugar acids (e.g., aldonic acids, aldaric acids, and uronic acids)
Polysaccharide-based materials	Cellulose-based materials (e.g., cellulose nanocrystals and hemicellulose-based films) Alginate-based materials (e.g., alginate hydrogels and alginate microspheres) Aminopolysaccharide-based materials (e.g., chitosan nanofiber, chitin-based scaffolds, and hyaluronan-based hydrogels) Exopolysaccharides-based materials (e.g., pullulan-based coatings and kefiran-based films)

Applications of Polysaccharide-based Materials

CD Biosynsis helps our customers explore the potential of polysaccharides-based materials for different applications through the in-depth study of the composition, structure, physicochemical properties, and biological functions of polysaccharides.

• Medical applications. The antibacterial, antiadhesive, antioxidant, procoagulant and other biological properties of polysaccharide can be used in the development of materials for medical applications such as drug delivery, would healing, tissue engineering, regenerative medicines, vaccines, and diagnostics.
• Food applications. Polysaccharides can be used as food stabilizers and additives or as raw materials to produce materials for food packaging applications.
• Environmental applications. Possible environmental applications of polysaccharide-based materials include air filtration, wastewater treatment, environmental sensing, etc.
• Energy applications. Polysaccharides can be used as components in energy storage systems. For example, carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC)-based binders can be used in lithium-ion batteries.

Want to Learn More?

CD Biosynsis is committed to helping our customers meet the growing and evolving demand for polysaccharide-based materials using the in-depth intersection of synthetic biology and materials science. Our scientists are well positioned to provide full support for their innovative ideas. If you are interested in our services or have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.

References

1. Anderson L A, et al. Synthetic biology strategies for improving microbial synthesis of "green" biopolymers. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 2018, 293(14): 5053-5061.
2. Rehm B H A. Synthetic biology towards the synthesis of custom-made polysaccharides. Microbial biotechnology, 2015, 8(1): 19-20.

Please note that all services are for research use only. Not intended for any clinical use.