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Sequential bottom-up assembly of mechanically stabilized synthetic cells by microfluidics
Marian Weiss1,2, Johannes Patrick Frohnmayer1,2, Lucia Theresa Benk1,2
1Department of Cellular Biophysics, Max Planck Institute for Medical Research, Jahnstraße 29, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany.
Nature Materials
|October 17, 2017
Summary
Researchers created stable synthetic cells called droplet-stabilized giant unilamellar vesicles (dsGUVs). These protocells can be loaded with specific biomolecules for bottom-up assembly, leading to functional synthetic cells.
Area of Science:
- Synthetic biology
- Biophysics
- Cellular engineering
Background:
- Cellular compartments are vital for life, but synthetic versions lack stability.
- Lipid-based protocells are mechanically and chemically unstable for complex assembly.
- Controlled assembly of biomolecules within compartments is challenging.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a method for generating stable synthetic cellular compartments.
- To demonstrate the controlled, sequential loading of biomolecules into these compartments.
- To create functional protocells through bottom-up assembly.
Main Methods:
- High-throughput microfluidics to generate droplet-stabilized giant unilamellar vesicles (dsGUVs).
- Microfluidic pico-injection for sequential loading of transmembrane and cytoskeleton proteins.
- Removal of stabilizing oil and droplet shells to release protocells.
Main Results:
- Stable, defined-sized dsGUVs were successfully generated.
- Sequential loading of specific biomolecules was achieved, enabling bottom-up assembly.
- Functional, self-supporting protocells were released into an aqueous phase.
Conclusions:
- dsGUVs offer enhanced stability for synthetic cell construction.
- Microfluidic methods enable controlled bottom-up assembly of functional protocells.
- Released protocells can interact with physiologically relevant environments.
