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Interfacial assembly of protein–polymer nano-conjugates into stimulus-responsive biomimetic protocells

Author

Listed:
  • Xin Huang

    (Centre for Organized Matter Chemistry, School of Chemistry, University of Bristol)

  • Mei Li

    (Centre for Organized Matter Chemistry, School of Chemistry, University of Bristol)

  • David C. Green

    (Centre for Organized Matter Chemistry, School of Chemistry, University of Bristol)

  • David S. Williams

    (Centre for Organized Matter Chemistry, School of Chemistry, University of Bristol)

  • Avinash J. Patil

    (Centre for Organized Matter Chemistry, School of Chemistry, University of Bristol)

  • Stephen Mann

    (Centre for Organized Matter Chemistry, School of Chemistry, University of Bristol)

Abstract

The mechanism of spontaneous assembly of microscale compartments is a central question for the origin of life, and has technological repercussions in diverse areas such as materials science, catalysis, biotechnology and biomedicine. Such compartments need to be semi-permeable, structurally robust and capable of housing assemblages of functional components for internalized chemical transformations. In principle, proteins should be ideal building blocks for the construction of membrane-bound compartments but protein vesicles with cell-like properties are extremely rare. Here we present an approach to the interfacial assembly of protein-based micro-compartments (proteinosomes) that are delineated by a semi-permeable, stimulus-responsive, enzymatically active, elastic membrane consisting of a closely packed monolayer of conjugated protein–polymer building blocks. The proteinosomes can be dispersed in oil or water, thermally cycled to temperatures of 70 °C, and partially dried and re-inflated without loss of structural integrity. As a consequence, they exhibit protocellular properties such as guest molecule encapsulation, selective permeability, gene-directed protein synthesis and membrane-gated internalized enzyme catalysis.

Suggested Citation

  • Xin Huang & Mei Li & David C. Green & David S. Williams & Avinash J. Patil & Stephen Mann, 2013. "Interfacial assembly of protein–polymer nano-conjugates into stimulus-responsive biomimetic protocells," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 4(1), pages 1-9, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:4:y:2013:i:1:d:10.1038_ncomms3239
    DOI: 10.1038/ncomms3239
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    Cited by:

    1. Songyang Liu & Yanwen Zhang & Xiaoxiao He & Mei Li & Jin Huang & Xiaohai Yang & Kemin Wang & Stephen Mann & Jianbo Liu, 2022. "Signal processing and generation of bioactive nitric oxide in a model prototissue," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-12, December.
    2. Hua Wu & Xuanlin Du & Xiaohui Meng & Dong Qiu & Yan Qiao, 2021. "A three-tiered colloidosomal microreactor for continuous flow catalysis," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 12(1), pages 1-8, December.
    3. Adrian Zambrano & Giorgio Fracasso & Mengfei Gao & Martina Ugrinic & Dishi Wang & Dietmar Appelhans & Andrew deMello & T-Y. Dora Tang, 2022. "Programmable synthetic cell networks regulated by tuneable reaction rates," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-11, December.

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