Light-Activated Membrane Transport in Polymeric Cell-Mimics.

Area of Science:

• Biomimetic chemistry
• Polymer science
• Supramolecular chemistry

Background:

• Giant polymersomes are stable, cell-like compartments ideal for biomimetic systems.
• Low membrane permeability of polymersomes limits hydrophilic molecule transport, hindering functional cell-like system development.
• Controlling polymersome permeability is crucial for creating advanced artificial cells.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design giant polymersomes with light-responsive permeability.
• To demonstrate light-activated transport of hydrophilic molecules across polymersome membranes.
• To construct functional cell-like systems using these photo-responsive polymersomes.

Main Methods:

• Incorporation of spiropyran-based molecules as permeability modulators into giant polymersome membranes.
• Utilizing photo-isomerization of spiropyran to induce membrane perturbation and alter permeability.
• Development of light-activated enzymatic micro-reactors and hybrid coacervate-polymersome systems.

Main Results:

• Spiropyran-based modulators successfully increased polymersome membrane permeability upon photo-isomerization.
• Light-activated transport of hydrophilic molecules was achieved in the designed polymersomes.
• Demonstrated proof-of-concept for a light-controlled enzymatic micro-reactor.
• Constructed a hybrid coacervate-polymersome system mimicking biological condensate formation.

Conclusions:

• Giant polymersomes equipped with spiropyran modulators offer a novel strategy for light-controlled permeability.
• Photo-activated polymersomes are promising for building sophisticated, light-responsive biomimetic cell-like systems.
• This work advances the development of artificial cells with tunable transport properties.