Taylor J W, Eghtesadi S A, Points L J, Liu T, Cronin L
WestCHEM, School of Chemistry, The University of Glasgow, University Avenue, Glasgow, G12 8QQ, UK.
Department of Polymer Science, University of Akron, Akron, OH, 44325, USA.
Nat Commun. 2017 Aug 10;8(1):237. doi: 10.1038/s41467-017-00177-4.
The coupling of compartmentalisation with molecular replication is thought to be crucial for the emergence of the first evolvable chemical systems. Minimal artificial replicators have been designed based on molecular recognition, inspired by the template copying of DNA, but none yet have been coupled to compartmentalisation. Here, we present an oil-in-water droplet system comprising an amphiphilic imine dissolved in chloroform that catalyses its own formation by bringing together a hydrophilic and a hydrophobic precursor, which leads to repeated droplet division. We demonstrate that the presence of the amphiphilic replicator, by lowering the interfacial tension between droplets of the reaction mixture and the aqueous phase, causes them to divide. Periodic sampling by a droplet-robot demonstrates that the extent of fission is increased as the reaction progresses, producing more compartments with increased self-replication. This bridges a divide, showing how replication at the molecular level can be used to drive macroscale droplet fission.Coupling compartmentalisation and molecular replication is essential for the development of evolving chemical systems. Here the authors show an oil-in-water droplet containing a self-replicating amphiphilic imine that can undergo repeated droplet division.
区室化与分子复制的耦合被认为对于首个可进化化学系统的出现至关重要。基于分子识别，受DNA模板复制的启发，人们设计了最小化人工复制器，但尚未有任何一个与区室化相结合。在此，我们展示了一种水包油液滴系统，其包含溶解在氯仿中的两亲性亚胺，该亚胺通过将亲水性和疏水性前体聚集在一起催化自身形成，从而导致液滴反复分裂。我们证明两亲性复制器的存在通过降低反应混合物液滴与水相之间的界面张力，导致它们分裂。液滴机器人的定期采样表明，随着反应进行，裂变程度增加，产生更多具有增强自我复制能力的区室。这弥合了一个差距，展示了分子水平的复制如何能够用于驱动宏观尺度的液滴裂变。区室化与分子复制的耦合对于不断进化的化学系统的发展至关重要。在此，作者展示了一个含有可进行反复液滴分裂的自我复制两亲性亚胺的水包油液滴。
