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Predatory behaviour in synthetic protocell communities.

Yan Qiao1, Mei Li1, Richard Booth1

  • 1Centre for Protolife Research and Centre for Organized Matter Chemistry, School of Chemistry, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TS, UK.

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Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Artificial protocells demonstrate predatory behavior. Killer protocells destroy target protocells, absorb their contents, and become enhanced to repeat the killing, forming a self-sustaining predatory community.

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Area of Science:

  • Soft Matter Physics and Chemistry
  • Synthetic Biology
  • Biomimetic Systems

Background:

  • Advancements in chemical construction enable biomimetic colloidal objects, termed artificial protocells.
  • Research on synthetic protocell communities and their collective behaviors remains underexplored.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To demonstrate artificial predatory behavior within a synthetic protocell community.
  • To investigate collective interactions and induced behaviors in microcompartmentalized systems.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized protease-containing coacervate microdroplets (killer protocells) and protein-polymer microcapsules (proteinosomes).
  • Explored interactions via electrostatic binding and protease-induced lysis.
  • Analyzed payload trafficking and functional modification of protocells.

Main Results:

  • Coacervate microdroplets exhibited predatory behavior, lysing proteinosomes via protease activity.
  • Payloads (dextran, DNA, nanoparticles) were transferred to coacervate microdroplets.
  • Modified protocells demonstrated 'rekilling' capability, indicating a self-sustaining predatory cycle.

Conclusions:

  • Demonstrated a novel artificial predatory behavior in a protocell community.
  • Showcased a strategy for inducing collective behavior in soft matter systems.
  • Opened avenues for developing interacting synthetic protocell consortia.