Researchers report a one‑pot method that grows and dyes cellulose textiles using engineered bacteria, published Nov. 12 in Trends in Biotechnology. A modified Komagataeibacter xylinus produced the cellulose while pigment-producing E. coli supplied natural dyes; violacein strains yielded purple–green tones directly in culture, and a co‑culture step produced red–yellow carotenoid shades. The process reduces separate dyeing and washing steps, showing promising stability to acid, heat and washing, though further durability testing and scale‑up are needed.
Engineered E. coli Grow and Dye Rainbow Fabric in a One‑Pot Lab Process
Researchers report a one‑pot method that grows and dyes cellulose textiles using engineered bacteria, published Nov. 12 in Trends in Biotechnology. A modified Komagataeibacter xylinus produced the cellulose while pigment-producing E. coli supplied natural dyes; violacein strains yielded purple–green tones directly in culture, and a co‑culture step produced red–yellow carotenoid shades. The process reduces separate dyeing and washing steps, showing promising stability to acid, heat and washing, though further durability testing and scale‑up are needed.
09:34 PM, 11/15/2025Technology
Scientists use engineered bacteria to grow and color textiles in a single step
Researchers have developed a one‑pot laboratory method that both produces and dyes cellulose-based fabrics using genetically engineered bacteria, offering a potentially simpler and greener alternative to conventional textile production.
The work, published Nov. 12 in Trends in Biotechnology, demonstrates that altering growth conditions and pairing microbes can yield bacterial cellulose textiles across the colors of the rainbow.
How the method worksThe team began by genetically enhancing a strain of Komagataeibacter xylinus to boost bacterial cellulose production during fermentation. Cellulose produced by bacteria can mimic natural fibers such as cotton but is naturally white and typically requires post-production dyeing.
To add color during growth, the researchers co-cultured the cellulose-producing microbe with pigment-producing Escherichia coli strains that make two families of natural dyes: violaceins (yielding purple, blue and green tones) and carotenoids (producing red, orange and yellow hues).
Introducing violacein-producing E. coli directly into the fermentation vessel produced purple, blue and green cellulose fabrics in one step. Carotenoid shades proved harder to obtain simultaneously because pigment-producing cells did not generate enough dye—likely due to limited growth in the same culture. The team resolved this by adding pregrown, treated cellulose to a separate culture of carotenoid-producing E. coli, successfully producing red, orange and yellow fabrics.
Benefits and limitationsBy combining production and dyeing, the method can eliminate separate dyeing and extensive washing steps, potentially cutting chemical waste, reducing water use, and lowering some emissions associated with conventional textile processing. The colored bacterial cellulose also showed strong stability when challenged with acids, bases, heat and standard washing.
However, additional work is needed before industrial adoption. The researchers noted further testing against industrial detergents and prolonged mechanical wear is required, and scaling the process while ensuring consistent color and material quality remains a challenge. As with any work involving genetically modified organisms, industrial deployment would also require robust containment, safety validation and regulatory approval.
Next stepsLead author Sang Yup Lee and colleagues plan to expand the palette beyond seven colors, optimize bacterial cellulose production, and pursue scale-up for potential applications including sustainable textiles and biodegradable packaging.
"This integrated production-and-dyeing approach could reduce chemical waste and water consumption compared with traditional workflows, while opening new uses for bacterial cellulose," the authors wrote.