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Monodisperse Giant Unilamellar Niosomes as Minimal Synthetic Cells
Zhen-Hong Luo1, Xuan-Yan He1, Nan-Nan Deng1,2
1State Key Laboratory of Synergistic Chem-Bio Synthesis, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China.
Journal of the American Chemical Society
|July 16, 2025
Summary
Giant unilamellar niosomes (GUNs) offer a robust, cost-effective synthetic cell model. These nonionic surfactant vesicles show enhanced fluidity and permeability, enabling biomimetic functions for synthetic biology and drug delivery.
Area of Science:
- Biomaterials Science
- Synthetic Biology
- Chemical Engineering
Background:
- Giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs) like liposomes, polymersomes, and fatty acid vesicles are key synthetic cell models.
- Existing GUVs face limitations: liposomes have poor permeability and high cost, polymersomes lack fluidity, and fatty acid vesicles are sensitive to environmental conditions.
- There is a need for improved synthetic cell platforms that are stable, permeable, and cost-effective.
Purpose of the Study:
- To introduce giant unilamellar niosomes (GUNs) as a novel, robust, and cost-effective platform for synthetic cells.
- To characterize the properties of Span 80-based GUNs, focusing on membrane fluidity and selective permeability.
- To demonstrate the functional capabilities of GUNs in mimicking cellular processes and supporting biochemical reactions.
Main Methods:
- Utilized droplet microfluidics for the generation of monodisperse Span 80-based giant unilamellar niosomes (GUNs).
- Assessed membrane fluidity and intrinsic selective permeability of GUNs to small molecules (<400-500 Da) and protons.
- Demonstrated functional utility through pH-responsive liquid-liquid phase separation and reconstitution of a glycolysis-mitochondria cascade for ATP production.
Main Results:
- Successfully generated monodisperse Span 80-based GUNs using droplet microfluidics.
- GUNs exhibited significant membrane fluidity and intrinsic selective permeability to small molecules and protons, obviating the need for transport proteins.
- Demonstrated successful mimicry of membraneless organelles via pH-responsive phase separation and sustained ATP production via a reconstituted metabolic cascade.
Conclusions:
- Giant unilamellar niosomes (GUNs) represent a versatile, cost-effective, and permeable synthetic cell platform.
- GUNs possess desirable properties for advanced applications in biomimetic microsystems and synthetic biology.
- The demonstrated functionalities highlight the potential of GUNs in areas such as drug delivery and the creation of artificial cellular systems.
