A microgel-stabilized, light-controlled artificial energy supply module for efficient biosynthesis

Artificial energy supply modules that can produce adenosine triphosphate (ATP) through natural or synthetic structures are crucial for supporting artificial cells with therapeutic purposes. However, their advanced biomedical application is hindered by poor stability, short lifespan and low output efficiency. In this study, an artificial light-controlled energetic module with long-term activity, termed thylakoid-loaded microgel (TM), is created by encapsulating spinach-derived thylakoid into alginate/gelatin microgels. The TM effectively retains the photosynthetic light reactions of thylakoids, including the electron transfer capacity of photosystem II and ATP production, and releases the produced ATP to external environment. As a proof of concept, the TM successfully drives the luciferin/luciferase reaction both within and outside the microgel compartment. In addition, the encapsulated thylakoids exhibit a significantly prolonged activity, with the high photosystem II activity and ATP production lasting for at least 96 h. The long-term activity is attributed to the oxidation shielding efficacy, protein and pigment degradation inhibition and membrane structural stabilization. This study presents a strategy for developing artificial energy supply modules with efficient energy output and long-term activity, holding great promise in artificial cell construction and biosynthesis.