Light-Activated Signaling in DNA-Encoded Sender-Receiver Architectures

Area of Science:

• Synthetic biology
• Chemical communication systems
• Protocell engineering

Background:

• Living cells use diffusible signals for collective decision-making.
• Artificial cell models mimic intercellular communication but struggle with localized signaling.
• Precise control of signal secretion from individual protocells remains a challenge.

Purpose of the Study:

• To engineer light-responsive, DNA-encoded sender-receiver architectures in artificial cells.
• To precisely control localized secretion and reception of diffusive signals.
• To investigate factors influencing signal range and spatial integration of cues.

Main Methods:

• Utilized protein-polymer microcapsules as cell mimics for DNA-based communication.
• Employed a microfluidic trapping array to spatially distribute sender and receiver protocells.
• Used light to activate signaling gradients and DNA strand displacement for signal transduction.

Main Results:

• Demonstrated light-inducible signaling from single sender protocells to surrounding receivers.
• Systematically analyzed factors affecting signal range, including receiver density, permeability, and signal degradation/regeneration.
• Constructed a three-population system implementing Boolean logic for spatial integration of nonidentical input cues.

Conclusions:

• Developed a novel method for studying diffusion-based sender-receiver communication topologies.
• Achieved congruence of reaction-diffusion dynamics and positional information in artificial chemical communication.
• Presents a strategy with potential for reconstituting collective cellular patterns.