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pH-responsive layer-by-layer nanoshells for direct regulation of cell activity
Irina Drachuk1, Olga Shchepelina, Milana Lisunova
1School of Materials Science and Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332, USA.
ACS Nano
|April 12, 2012
Summary
pH-responsive synthetic nanoshells show high biocompatibility with Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast cells. These nanoshells enable external control over cell growth and function by manipulating surface charges, paving the way for advanced cell-based biosensors.
Area of Science:
- Biomaterials Engineering
- Synthetic Biology
- Cellular Engineering
Background:
- Developing biocompatible materials for cell encapsulation is crucial for biotechnological applications.
- pH-responsive polymers offer tunable properties for controlled release and cellular environment manipulation.
- Synthetic nanoshells present a novel platform for interfacing with biological systems.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the biocompatibility and functionality of pH-responsive synthetic nanoshells for encapsulating Saccharomyces cerevisiae.
- To investigate the effect of pH-induced changes in nanoshells on yeast cell viability, growth kinetics, and protein expression.
- To explore the potential of these nanoshells for external chemical control of cell-based biosensors.
Main Methods:
- Encapsulation of Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast cells within pH-responsive polymethacrylic acid nanoshells.
- Viability assays to determine cell survival rates post-encapsulation.
- Monitoring of yeast growth rates and enhanced green fluorescent protein (eGFP) expression at varying pH levels.
- Analysis of nanoshell swelling/deswelling behavior and its impact on cell membrane transport.
Main Results:
- Yeast cells encapsulated in synthetic nanoshells exhibited a high viability rate of approximately 90%.
- Increased pH above the polymer's isoelectric point delayed yeast growth rate but did not affect eGFP expression.
- Nanoshells demonstrated reversible swelling/deswelling in a specific pH range (5.0-6.0), influencing cell membrane transport.
- Surface charge variations on nanoshells effectively controlled yeast cell growth and function.
Conclusions:
- pH-responsive synthetic nanoshells are highly biocompatible with Saccharomyces cerevisiae.
- Nanoshells can be utilized to externally modulate yeast cell kinetics and functionality through pH changes.
- The tunable surface charge of these nanoshells offers a promising strategy for developing externally controlled cell-based biosensors.
