Engineered DNA materials shape microbial physiology and ecological selection
- 1Karlsruhe Institute of Technology
Abstract
Extracellular DNA (eDNA) is both a structural component of microbial biofilms and a potential reservoir of genetic information, yet its role as an ecological material remains largely unexplored. Here we establish engineered extracellular materials as determinants of microbial physiology and community assembly across increasing biological complexity. A three-dimensional DNA hydrogel altered bacterial stress-associated responses, elicited species-dependent phenotypes and transcriptional changes in a defined consortium, and shaped community succession in wastewater-derived microbiomes. Distinct responses to surface-bound oligonucleotides reveal that DNA presentation matters beyond its mere presence. Strikingly, metagenomic sequencing identified rare, hydrogel-specific candidate junctions linking material-derived DNA to microbial genomic sequences, suggesting a previously unexplored interface between extracellular DNA materials and microbial genetic information. These findings reveal a dual role for engineered DNA: its material organization shapes microbial physiology and ecological selection, while its encoded sequences may engage with microbial genomic processes.
Related
- New insights into the gut-heart axis: microbial metabolite biomarkers, multi-omics, and engineered bacterial delivery systems
- Engineered living materials suppress uropathogenic E. coli growth and invasion of urothelial cells through sustained probiotic release
- Interspecific faecal microbiota transplantation tests microbial contributions to thermal physiology in lizards
- Seven gut microbiome types across two Japanese cohorts defined by co-abundance-based microbial guilds and associated with host physiology
- Land-use legacy shapes soil- and root-associated microbial communities, modifies nutrient cycling, and influences vine physiology
BibTeX
@misc{meisch2026engineered,
title = {{Engineered DNA materials shape microbial physiology and ecological selection}},
author = {L. Meisch and M. Velaz Martin and S. A. Moench and S. Weigel and J. Vollmers and P. S. Jaeger and A.-K. Kaster and K. S. Rabe and C. M. Niemeyer},
howpublished = {bioRxiv},
year = {2026},
month = nov,
doi = {10.64898/2026.11.06.764811},
url = {https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.11.06.764811v1},
note = {CC BY-NC-ND},
}
RIS
TY - UNPB
TI - Engineered DNA materials shape microbial physiology and ecological selection
AU - L. Meisch
AU - M. Velaz Martin
AU - S. A. Moench
AU - S. Weigel
AU - J. Vollmers
AU - P. S. Jaeger
AU - A.-K. Kaster
AU - K. S. Rabe
AU - C. M. Niemeyer
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/11/06
PB - bioRxiv
DO - 10.64898/2026.11.06.764811
UR - https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.11.06.764811v1
AB - Extracellular DNA (eDNA) is both a structural component of microbial biofilms and a potential reservoir of genetic information, yet its role as an ecological material remains largely unexplored. Here we establish engineered extracellular materials as determinants of microbial physiology and community assembly across increasing biological complexity. A three-dimensional DNA hydrogel altered bacterial stress-associated responses, elicited species-dependent phenotypes and transcriptional changes in a defined consortium, and shaped community succession in wastewater-derived microbiomes. Distinct responses to surface-bound oligonucleotides reveal that DNA presentation matters beyond its mere presence. Strikingly, metagenomic sequencing identified rare, hydrogel-specific candidate junctions linking material-derived DNA to microbial genomic sequences, suggesting a previously unexplored interface between extracellular DNA materials and microbial genetic information. These findings reveal a dual role for engineered DNA: its material organization shapes microbial physiology and ecological selection, while its encoded sequences may engage with microbial genomic processes.
ER -