Developing the green algae Penium margaritaceum for new engineered living materials

Moonshot Award

Proposal Development

Abstract

We are studying the potential of a Zygnematophyte species, Penium margaritaceum, as new engineered living materials (ELMs) for more sustainable products. ELMs are materials built of, or by, engineered organisms to reimagine and push the boundaries of biotechnology. A major challenge with developing ELMs is overcoming stresses imposed by their operating conditions, such as low humidity indoor environments. In such cases, ideal organisms for ELMs would exhibit desiccation tolerance (DT) and adhesion to various substrates. Charophycean green algae, the sister lineage to land plants and more specifically the Zygnematophytes, are of special interest due to their ability to thrive in environments that are subject to extensive periods of drying and rewetting, such as ephemeral pools and soil crusts. 

We propose the use of these green algae as the basis for new ELMs, due to their resistance and tolerance to many major environmental stressors, such as desiccation. We have specifically sampled algae from various sites that exhibit DT characteristics as well as natural adhesion to expand our catalogue of potential organisms for ELMs thus, targeting DT and adhesive organisms. 

We propose that Penium and other similar green algae species have great potential for advancing ELMs.