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Updated: Jul 29, 2025

Author Spotlight: Membrane Protein Reconstitution in Synthetic Cells
Published on: March 8, 2024
Calcium-triggered DNA-mediated membrane fusion in synthetic cells
Yen-Yu Hsu1, Samuel J Chen1, Julio Bernal-Chanchavac2
1Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA.
Abstract:
In cells, membrane fusion is mediated by SNARE proteins, whose activities are calcium-dependent. While several non-native membrane fusion mechanisms have been demonstrated, few can respond to external stimuli. Here, we develop a calcium-triggered DNA-mediated membrane fusion strategy where fusion is regulated using surface-bound PEG chains that are cleavable by the calcium-activated protease calpain-1.
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