Polymeric encapsulation of whole cells as bioreactors

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2020255818-A1
Application number	US-202016862342-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 29, 2020
Priority date	Oct 30, 2017
Publication date	Aug 13, 2020
Grant date	—

Abstract

In one inventive concept, a mixture for forming polymer-encapsulated whole cells includes a pre-polymer, a photoinitiator, and a plurality of whole cells. In another inventive concept, a product includes a structure including a plurality of whole cells encapsulated in a polymer, where the polymer is cross-linked.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A mixture for forming polymer-encapsulated whole cells, the mixture comprising:
a pre-polymer; a photoinitiator; and a plurality of whole cells.

2 . The mixture as recited in claim 1 , wherein the pre-polymer includes at least one pre-polymer selected from the group consisting of: poly(ethylene) glycol, amphiphilic silicones, alginate, N-isopropylacrylamide, and methacrylic acid.

3 . The mixture as recited in claim 2 , wherein the pre-polymer is poly(ethylene) glycol acrylate.

4 . The mixture as recited in claim 2 , wherein a concentration of the pre-polymer is in a range of about 10 weight % to about 50 weight % of a total weight of the mixture.

5 . The mixture as recited in claim 1 , wherein a molecular weight of the pre-polymer is in a range of about 575 Daltons to about 100,000 Daltons.

6 . The mixture as recited in claim 1 , wherein a molecular weight of the pre-polymer is in a range of about 10,000 Daltons to about 40,000 Daltons.

7 . The mixture as recited in claim 1 , wherein the whole cells are whole living cells.

8 . The mixture as recited in claim 1 , wherein the whole cells are dried whole cells.

9 . The mixture as recited in claim 1 , wherein the whole cells have a characteristic to convert a chemical reactant to a product, wherein the chemical reactant is a gas and the product is a liquid.

10 . The mixture as recited in claim 1 , wherein the whole cells are configured to convert methane to methanol.

11 . The mixture as recited in claim 1 , wherein the whole cells are selected from the group consisting of: methanotrophic organisms, methylotrophic organisms, and yeast.

12 . The mixture as recited in claim 1 , wherein a concentration of whole cells has a cell optical density in a range from about 4.0 to about 160.

13 . The mixture as recited in claim 1 , wherein a concentration of whole cells has a cell optical density in a range of at least 10 to about 60.

14 . A product, comprising:
a structure comprising a plurality of whole cells encapsulated in a polymer, wherein the polymer is cross-linked.

15 . The product of claim 14 , wherein the polymer includes a poly(ethylene) glycol polymer.

16 . The product of claim 14 , wherein a molecular weight of the polymer is in a range of about 10,000 Daltons to about 40,000 Daltons.

17 . The product of claim 14 , wherein the whole cells have a characteristic to convert a chemical reactant to a product, wherein the chemical reactant is a gas and the product is a liquid.

18 . The product of claim 14 , wherein the whole cells are selected from the group consisting of: methanotrophic organisms, methylotrophic organisms, and yeast.

19 . A bioreactor, comprising:
a three-dimensional structure, wherein the three-dimensional structure is comprised of a gas-permeable material; and polymer-encapsulated whole cells, wherein at least one side of the three-dimensional structure is infilled with the polymer-encapsulated whole cells.

20 . The bioreactor as recited in claim 19 , the three-dimensional structure is a printed three-dimensional structure.

21 . The bioreactor as recited in claim 20 , wherein the printed three-dimensional structure is a lattice.

22 . The bioreactor as recited in claim 20 , wherein the printed three-dimensional structure is a tube, wherein a wall of the tube is gas-permeable, wherein an inner surface of the wall defines a center portion of the tube.

23 . The bioreactor as recited in claim 22 , comprising a buffer in the center portion of the tube, wherein the buffer comprises nutrients for the polymer-encapsulated whole cells.

24 . The bioreactor as recited in claim 23 , wherein the polymer-encapsulated whole cells comprise a plurality of living whole cells, wherein the plurality of living whole cells have a characteristic to remain viable in the bioreactor for a duration of at least five days.

25 . The bioreactor as recited in claim 19 , wherein a concentration of whole cells has a cell optical density in a range from about 4.0 to about 160.

26 . The bioreactor as recited in claim 19 , wherein a thickness of the at least one side of the three-dimensional structure is in a range of about 10 microns to about 5000 microns.

27 . A method for forming the bioreactor as recited in claim 19 , the method comprising:
forming the three-dimensional structure using an additive manufacturing technique; infilling the at least one side of the three-dimensional structure with a mixture for forming the polymer-encapsulated whole cells; and curing the three-dimensional structure infilled with the mixture.

28 . The method for forming the bioreactor as recited in claim 27 , wherein the three-dimensional structure is a lattice, wherein the additive manufacturing technique is selected from the group consisting of: projection microstereolithography and direct ink writing.

Assignees

• L Livermore Nat Security Llc

Inventors

• Knipe Jennifer M
• Baker Sarah
• Deotte Joshua R
• Qian Fang

Classifications

• C12M1/002

  Photo bio reactors · CPC title

• C12M21/02

  Photobioreactors (culturing algae A01G33/00, A01H4/001, C12N1/12) · CPC title

• B33Y80/00

  Products made by additive manufacturing · CPC title

• B33Y10/00

  Processes of additive manufacturing · CPC title

• C12N11/089 Primary

  obtained otherwise than by reactions only involving carbon-to-carbon unsaturated bonds · CPC title