Biology subjects

Stavrinidou, E.

Publications and source records attributed to Stavrinidou, E..

3 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2026

CO2-concentrating nanoparticles drive progressive photosynthetic and cell-wall remodelling in Arabidopsis thaliana cells

Plant cells offer a distinctive platform for biohybrid engineering because they combine growth and proliferation with photosynthetic carbon acquisition and the continuous fabrication of structurally complex biomass. Harnessing these capabilities could enable living systems in which synthetic functionality develops together with cellular physiology and material organization. Yet nanomaterial engineering of proliferating plant cell populations remains largely unexplored. Here, we establish a biohybrid system combining photosynthetically active Arabidopsis thaliana suspension cells with chitosan-modified polyethyleneimine (gPEI-Chi) nanoparticles, a synthetic CO2-concentrating nanomaterial. By supplying fresh nanoparticles at each subculture, newly generated cell populations were successively functionalized, driving progressive changes in cellular and multicellular phenotypes. Nanoparticle functionalization reduced net headspace CO2 accumulation, increased chlorophyll content and induced stage-dependent reorganization of photosynthetic function and carbon-handling pathways. These physiological changes were accompanied by altered cell wall regeneration and progressive remodelling of cell wall composition, spatial organization and ultrastructure, ultimately promoting more cohesive multicellular aggregates. Our findings establish successive nanomaterial functionalization as a strategy to steer the evolving physiology and structural organization of proliferating plant cell populations, opening opportunities for plant biohybrid systems and engineered living materials.

plant biology↗

bioRxiv2026

Plant cell-based 4D engineered living materials

Engineered living materials (ELMs) seek to bridge the gap between static engineered matter and dynamic biological systems. Photosynthetic ELMs have emerged as a promising route towards autonomous and sustainable material systems; however, they remain largely based on microorganisms or isolated organelles, whereas the potential of living plant cells as multifunctional, adaptive building blocks remains largely unexplored. Here we establish plant cells as a distinct chassis for engineered living materials and demonstrate that their intrinsic metabolic plasticity, cell-wall biochemistry and mechanics can be harnessed to create adaptive, evolvable and programmable materials. Using Arabidopsis thaliana suspension cells and printable pectin-alginate bioinks, we fabricate two- and three-dimensional living materials that support growth, metabolic plasticity and, long-term viability. Non-photosynthetic ELMs undergo light-induced metabolic reprogramming to acquire photosynthetic activity, demonstrating adaptive behaviour, while continuous cell growth dynamically remodels the mechanical properties of the material, enabling evolution of material properties through intrinsic biological processes. We further exploit endogenous cell wall peroxidases to catalyse the biofabrication of conducting polymers, enabling programmable acquisition of electrochemical functionality without genetic modification. By integrating living plant cells with auxetic and honeycomb architectures, we show that biological activity and structural design jointly determine emergent mechanical behaviour, revealing a principle of geometry-dependent biological reinforcement for living mechanical metamaterials. Centimetre-scale plant ELMs retain robust photosynthetic activity, with electron transport rates approaching those of native Arabidopsis tissues despite the absence of leaf architecture. Together, these findings establish plant cells as versatile building blocks for multifunctional living materials and lay the foundation for self-powered autonomous materials with potential applications in soft robotics, bioelectronics, and carbon capture.

bioengineering↗

bioRxiv2024

H+ drives ultra-fast root-to-root responses to wounding

The plant-to-plant communication of damage is vital for plants to mount pre-emptive defensive responses in the face of threats. A variety of threats to the well-being of plants are found below ground; yet how plant roots activate inter-plant communication is largely unclear. Here we demonstrate that a wounded root rapidly releases protons (H+), that travel faster than any other "known" soluble biochemical signal due to a specialised diffusion mechanism. Within seconds after damage, cells in neighbouring unwounded roots sense the acidification and activate tissue-specific Ca2+ damage signalling. In turn, this triggers a differential growth response allowing the unwounded root to avoid the site of a potential threat. Our results reveal a non-canonical rapid response mechanism for inter-plant communication based on ultrafast proton diffusion.

plant biology↗