Adenosine Triphosphate-Producing Artificial Cells: Biomimetic Construction Strategies and Applications.

Area of Science:

• Synthetic Biology
• Biomaterials Science
• Bioenergetics

Background:

• Artificial cells aim to mimic biological functions for various applications.
• Energy autonomy is crucial for sustained function, often achieved through adenosine triphosphate (ATP) synthesis.
• Current approaches integrate proton pumps and ATPases within model membranes or encapsulate cellular components.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review and analyze recent advances in constructing energy-autonomous artificial cells.
• To explore three primary construction strategies: bottom-up assembly, encapsulation of organelles, and non-classical systems.
• To evaluate catalytic efficacy and sequestration capabilities for biomimetic applications.

Main Methods:

• Bottom-up assembly of liposomes, polymer bodies, droplets, micelles, and metal-organic frameworks.
• Encapsulation of intact mitochondria or thylakoids.
• Construction of non-classical systems, e.g., arginine degradation pathway.
• Integration of proton pumps and ATPases for energy conversion.

Main Results:

• Demonstrated cascading energy conversion from light/chemical sources to proton motive force and ATP synthesis.
• Achieved higher energy output efficiencies using encapsulated organelles or non-classical pathways.
• Explored catalytic efficacy and sequestration for CO2 fixation and metabolic regulation.

Conclusions:

• Advances in artificial cell construction offer promising avenues for synthetic biology applications.
• These systems provide critical guidance for engineering in targeted drug delivery, regenerative therapies, and biohybrid energy conversion.
• The field is progressing towards practical implementation from fundamental research.