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Catalytically Active Coacervates Sustained Out-of-Equilibrium.
Subhajit Bal1, Saurabh Gupta1, Chiranjit Mahato1
1Department of Chemical Sciences and Centre for Advanced Functional Materials, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Kolkata, Mohanpur, 741246, India.
Angewandte Chemie (International Ed. in English)
|April 14, 2025
Summary
Researchers created active coacervates using simple molecules that mimic early cell-like structures. These self-assembling droplets maintain form via internal reactions, offering insights into the origins of life and active membraneless organelles.
Area of Science:
- Biochemistry
- Chemical Biology
- Origin of Life Studies
Background:
- Membraneless organelles in biology maintain structure via chemical reactions under nonequilibrium conditions.
- Understanding the self-assembly and stability of early protocell models is crucial for origin of life research.
Purpose of the Study:
- To synthesize and characterize active coacervates from minimal building blocks.
- To investigate the role of intrinsic catalysis in maintaining coacervate stability under nonequilibrium conditions.
- To explore the resemblance between these synthetic coacervates and natural membraneless organelles.
Main Methods:
- Formation of coacervates from a mixture of a π-electron rich peptide, a positively charged aldehyde, and a cyclic ketone.
- Utilizing dynamic covalent bonds for peptide-aldehyde conjugation and hydrophobic interactions for phase separation.
- Employing aldol reactions catalyzed by the peptide's free amine to consume aldehyde, driving the system out of equilibrium.
- Maintaining coacervate stability through continuous addition of precursors in an open system.
Main Results:
- Active coacervates were successfully formed from the defined minimal building blocks.
- The peptide's catalytic activity (via β-alanine) led to the depletion of aldehyde through aldol reactions, preventing coalescence.
- Coacervates demonstrated enhanced spatial stability over extended periods when supplied with a continuous flux of precursors.
- The observed behavior mimics the nonequilibrium dynamics of natural active membraneless organelles.
Conclusions:
- Minimal chemical systems can spontaneously form active coacervates that resist coalescence through intrinsic catalytic processes.
- These active coacervates serve as a model for understanding the self-organization and stability principles underlying early biological compartments.
- The study provides a potential pathway for creating synthetic protocell-like structures with life-like properties.
Keywords:
Active coacervatesC─C bond formationLiquid–liquid phase separationNonequilibrium conditionsShort‐peptidesMore Related Videos
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