Network-based redox communication between abiotic interactive materials

Jinyang Li; Zhiling Zhao; Eunkyoung Kim; John R. Rzasa; Guanghui Zong; Lai-Xi Wang; William E. Bentley; Gregory F. Payne

iScience (Jul 2022)

Network-based redox communication between abiotic interactive materials

Jinyang Li,
Zhiling Zhao,
Eunkyoung Kim,
John R. Rzasa,
Guanghui Zong,
Lai-Xi Wang,
William E. Bentley,
Gregory F. Payne

Affiliations

Jinyang Li: Fischell Department of Bioengineering, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA; Robert E. Fischell Institute for Biomedical Devices, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
Zhiling Zhao: Institute for Bioscience and Biotechnology Research, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA; Robert E. Fischell Institute for Biomedical Devices, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
Eunkyoung Kim: Institute for Bioscience and Biotechnology Research, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA; Robert E. Fischell Institute for Biomedical Devices, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
John R. Rzasa: Fischell Department of Bioengineering, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA; Robert E. Fischell Institute for Biomedical Devices, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
Guanghui Zong: Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
Lai-Xi Wang: Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
William E. Bentley: Fischell Department of Bioengineering, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA; Institute for Bioscience and Biotechnology Research, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA; Robert E. Fischell Institute for Biomedical Devices, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
Gregory F. Payne: Institute for Bioscience and Biotechnology Research, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA; Robert E. Fischell Institute for Biomedical Devices, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA; Corresponding author

Journal volume & issue: Vol. 25, no. 7
p. 104548

Abstract

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Summary: Recent observations that abiotic materials can engage in redox-based interactive communication motivates the search for new redox-active materials. Here we fabricated a hydrogel from a four-armed thiolated polyethylene glycol (PEG-SH) and the bacterial metabolite, pyocyanin (PYO). We show that: (i) the PYO-PEG hydrogel is reversibly redox-active; (ii) the molecular-switching and directed electron flow within this PYO-PEG hydrogel requires both a thermodynamic driving force (i.e., potential difference) and diffusible electron carriers that serve as nodes in a redox network; (iii) this redox-switching and electron flow is controlled by the redox network’s topology; and (iv) the ability of the PYO-PEG hydrogel to “transmit” electrons to a second insoluble redox-active material (i.e., a catechol-PEG hydrogel) is context-dependent (i.e., dependent on thermodynamic driving forces and appropriate redox shuttles). These studies provide an experimental demonstration of important features of redox-communication and also suggest technological opportunities for the fabrication of interactive materials.

Published in iScience

ISSN: 2589-0042 (Online)
Publisher: Elsevier
Country of publisher: United States
LCC subjects: Science
Website: http://www.cell.com/iscience/home

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