Signal-processing and adaptive prototissue formation in metabolic DNA protocells

Area of Science:

• Biomimetic materials science
• Synthetic biology
• DNA nanotechnology

Background:

• Living cells utilize complex metabolic networks for essential functions like replication and adaptation within crowded environments.
• Recreating these cellular functions in synthetic entities (protocells) is key to developing novel soft materials with life-like properties.

Purpose of the Study:

• To engineer all-DNA protocells capable of performing life-like functions.
• To demonstrate the conversion of DNA signals into functional metabolites for downstream cellular adaptation.
• To explore protocell self-organization and communication for advanced material design.

Main Methods:

• Construction of protocells with a liquid DNA interior and a hydrogel-like shell.
• Incorporation of a DNAzyme for signal conversion into functional metabolites.
• Utilizing site-selective strand displacement reactions for downstream processes.
• Investigating intra-protocellular changes, prototissue formation, and cell-to-cell communication.

Main Results:

• Developed all-DNA protocells that convert DNA signals into metabolites, driving adaptation.
• Observed phenotype-like changes within individual protocells.
• Achieved prototissue formation through multivalent DNA interactions.
• Demonstrated chemical messenger communication between sender and receiver protocell populations, enabling sorted heteroprototissue formation.

Conclusions:

• The study presents a novel platform for creating synthetic cells using DNA nanotechnology.
• These all-DNA protocells exhibit emergent life-like behaviors, including adaptation and communication.
• This work integrates DNA-nanoscience tools to engineer artificial systems with potential for future interactive materials.