Programmable self-destruction of artificial cells with death signaling

Area of Science:

• Synthetic Biology
• Biomimetic Engineering

Background:

• Programmed cell death is vital for multicellular organisms, removing unwanted cells.
• Artificial cells (ACs) mimic cellular functions but lack programmable lifetimes.
• Controlled disassembly is needed for synthetic systems to complete tasks or release cargo.

Purpose of the Study:

• To engineer artificial cells with a time-programmed self-destruction mechanism.
• To create synthetic systems with controllable lifespans for triggered disassembly.

Main Methods:

• Utilized pH-responsive giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs) for artificial cells.
• Incorporated a UV-inducible internal acidification cascade using photocaged glucose.
• Controlled disassembly via light intensity to tune the collapse time.

Main Results:

• Demonstrated light-activated, time-programmed self-destruction in artificial cells.
• Achieved tunable collapse times ranging from minutes to over an hour.
• Showcased collapse-induced release of DNA signals triggering downstream responses in neighboring ACs.

Conclusions:

• Developed artificial cells with programmable lifetimes and on-demand disassembly capabilities.
• Enabled signal transmission within complex synthetic environments through controlled collapse.
• Paved the way for advanced synthetic systems with timed degradation and responsive behaviors.