A microbial-electronic optical communication language for intestinal monitoring and regulation

Abstract Gastrointestinal microbes play roles of biomolecular sensing and healthy intervention in human bodies but cannot be monitored and regulated by human instructions. Here, we establish a bidirectional optical communication language between engineered microbes and designer electronic capsules respectively based on photo sensing and optogenetics to realize remote monitoring and regulating of intestinal health. As a proof of concept, we engineer nitric oxide microbial biosensors to generate bioluminescent output signal for diagnosis of pig colitis, which is processed by electronic capsule and remotely monitored by smartphones. Reversely, smartphones send wireless signals to control LED luminescence in electronic capsule to activate the optogenetics of engineered microbes to relieve pig colitis. This language form of semiconductor synthetic biology enables new opportunities for health monitoring and active intervention.