Biological fabrication of cotton fibers with tailored properties

Introduction

Naturally produced fibers have always played central roles in shaping human civilizations. Current hazardous chemical-based manufacturing processes and consumers' preferences for cotton products are putting much strain on the future of cotton’s global economy. Thus, it is urgent to seek future sustainable alternatives.

Research Questions

What alternatives and tools are available? Which new avenues are waiting to be explored toward this end?

Biological Systems

Harnessing biological systems is one of humanity’s ultimate frontiers. Yet, the intrinsic complexity of higher organisms and the lack of in-depth, comprehensive understanding of the underlying mechanisms and their interactions across a multitude of scales has primarily hindered their use to manufacture bio-based materials with desired properties.

Project Goals

This project addresses this lack of knowledge by answering key questions concerning:

1. The sugar uptake and upwards transport from the roots.
2. The biosynthesis of naturally produced fibers at the level of cotton plants.

We will use this body of information to create a roadmap to produce cotton fibers with tailored properties.

Methodology

Our approach will dive into the exploration of a recent and largely unexplored discovery that cotton plants uptake sugar by the roots, transporting them upwards, reaching as far as the fibers (root-to-fiber).

In particular, we will dwell on the dynamics of this process using sugar derivatives. This body of information will set the stage for feeding the roots of whole cotton plants with sugar derivatives carrying specific functionalities to become, ultimately, biologically incorporated into the fibers.

Expected Outcomes

This will modify their end properties, particularly fluoro-sugars to yield fibers with increased hydrophobicity. We will demonstrate the feasibility of biological fabrication and material farming in whole cotton plants as a revolutionizing and sustainable alternative to manufacturing current chemical-based strategies and toward a bio-based global economy.