Producing engineering fungal composite materials that sense and capture ß-lactam antibiotics from clinical wastewater to reduce antibiotics burden in sewage treatment plants

• Applicant: Dr. Carsten Freidank-Pohl
• Subject Area: Biomaterials ; Metabolism, Biochemistry and Genetics of Microorganisms
• Term: since 2023
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 520637539

In the field of engineered living materials, filamentous growing fungi are still an underepresented topic. Here, the basidiomycete Fomes fomentarius will serve as the starting point, since it is relatively fast-growing fungus, generating a dense outer shell of living hyphae around plant particles. This living material can be produced at extremely low costs at economic relevant scales and exhibits a low density due to embedded air pockets, making it possible to create floatable structures which can act as biosensors and biocatalysts in liquids. In the initial ELM design, exposure of the fungal biomass to ß-lactams in water induces expression of penicillin-binding-proteins which will be secreted and anchored to the fungal cell wall. The antibiotics are subsequently bound to the expressed proteins on the mycelium composite material which can be removed from the water afterwards.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants
• Co-Investigators: Professorin Dr.-Ing. Vera Meyer; Dr.-Ing. Ulla Simon