Programming Surface\nMotility and Modulating Physiological\nBehaviors of Bacteria via Biosurfactant-Mimetic Polyurethanes

Modulating microbial motility and physiology can enhance\nthe production\nof bacterial macromolecules and small molecules. Herein, a platform\nof water-soluble and amphiphilic peptidomimetic polyurethanes is reported\nas a means of regulating bacterial surface behavior and the concomitant\nproduction of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS). It is demonstrated\nthat carboxyl (−COOH)-containing polyurethanes exhibited 17-fold\nand 80-fold enhancements in Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) swarming and twitching\nareas, respectively. Conversely, an amine (−NH<sub>2</sub>)-functionalized\npolyurethane reduces the P. aeruginosa swarming area by 58%. Similar influences on the surface motility\nof Escherichia coli (E. coli) and a nonswarming P. aeruginosa mutant strain are also observed. Notably, −COOH polyurethanes\ncompletely wet the agar hydrogel surface and promote bacterial surface\nproliferation, resulting in enhanced EPS and rhamnolipid production.\nThe programming of bacterial spatial migration into designed patterns\nis achieved by leveraging the opposing influences of −NH<sub>2</sub> and −COOH polyurethanes. The results highlight the\npotential of this synthetic polyurethane platform and potentially\nother polymer systems as an exciting approach to control bacterial\nsurface behaviors and influence the production of engineered living\nmaterials.