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Updated: Feb 2, 2026
07:33
Bacterial Cell Culture at the Single-cell Level Inside Giant Vesicles
Published on: April 30, 2019
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Functionalizing cell-mimetic giant vesicles with encapsulated bacterial biosensors
Tatiana Trantidou1, Linda Dekker2, Karen Polizzi2
1Department of Chemistry, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK.
Interface Focus
|November 17, 2018
Summary
Researchers embedded engineered microbes into artificial cells to create novel biosensors. This approach enhances artificial cell capabilities by integrating biological functions for real-time environmental monitoring.
Area of Science:
- Synthetic biology
- Biotechnology
- Microbial engineering
Background:
- Artificial cells (bottom-up synthetic biology) traditionally use molecular components for function.
- Current artificial cells lack the metabolic and regulatory pathways of living systems.
- Integrating intact cellular components offers a route to enhance artificial cell capabilities.
Purpose of the Study:
- To design and embed genetically engineered microbes within vesicle-based artificial cells.
- To utilize these microbial modules for real-time biosensing.
- To explore a framework for bridging bottom-up and top-down synthetic biology.
Main Methods:
- Genetic engineering of *Escherichia coli*.
- Embedding microbes within vesicle microsystems.
- Developing biosensing modules for lactate monitoring.
Main Results:
- Successfully designed and embedded *Escherichia coli* in vesicle-based cell mimics.
- Demonstrated the use of these artificial cells as biosensing modules.
- Achieved real-time monitoring of external lactate levels.
Conclusions:
- Feasibility of using whole intact microbes as functional modules within artificial cells is demonstrated.
- This approach enhances artificial cell capabilities by incorporating biological pathways.
- Provides a framework for future integration of diverse microbial devices into artificial cell systems.
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