Design and development of materials that couple synthetic
and living
components allow taking advantage of the complexity of biological
systems within a controlled environment. However, their design and
fabrication represent a challenge for material scientists since it
is necessary to synthesize synthetic materials with highly specialized
biocompatible and physicochemical properties. The design of synthetic-living
materials (vita materials) requires materials capable of hosting cell
ingrowth and maintaining cell viability for extended periods. Vita
materials offer various advantages, from simplifying product purification
steps to controlling cell metabolic activity and improving the resistance
of biological systems to external stress factors, translating into
reducing bioprocess costs and diversifying their industrial applications.
Here, chitosan sponges, functionalized with Calendula
officinalis hydroalcoholic extract, were synthesized
using the freeze-drying method; they showed small pore sizes (7.58
μm), high porosity (97.95%), high water absorption (1695%),
and thermal stability, which allows the material to withstand sterilization
conditions. The sponges allowed integration of 58.34% of viable Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells, and the cell viability
was conserved 12 h post-process (57.14%) under storage conditions
[refrigerating temperature (4 °C) and without a nutrient supply].
In addition, the synthesized vita materials conserved their biocatalytic
activity after 7 days of the integration process, which was evaluated
through glucose consumption and ethanol production. The results in
this paper describe the synthesis of complex vita materials and demonstrate
that biochemically modified chitosan sponges can be used as a platform
material to host living and metabolically active yeast with diverse
applications as biocatalysts.