Department of Biochemistry, Groningen Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology Institute & Zernike Institute for Advanced Materials, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 4, 9747 AG, Groningen, The Netherlands.
Nat Commun. 2019 Sep 18;10(1):4239. doi: 10.1038/s41467-019-12287-2.
One of the grand challenges in chemistry is the construction of functional out-of-equilibrium networks, which are typical of living cells. Building such a system from molecular components requires control over the formation and degradation of the interacting chemicals and homeostasis of the internal physical-chemical conditions. The provision and consumption of ATP lies at the heart of this challenge. Here we report the in vitro construction of a pathway in vesicles for sustained ATP production that is maintained away from equilibrium by control of energy dissipation. We maintain a constant level of ATP with varying load on the system. The pathway enables us to control the transmembrane fluxes of osmolytes and to demonstrate basic physicochemical homeostasis. Our work demonstrates metabolic energy conservation and cell volume regulatory mechanisms in a cell-like system at a level of complexity minimally needed for life.
化学领域的重大挑战之一是构建功能非平衡网络，这是活细胞的典型特征。从分子组件构建这样的系统需要控制相互作用化学物质的形成和降解以及内部物理化学条件的动态平衡。提供和消耗 ATP 是这一挑战的核心。在这里，我们报告了在囊泡中构建一条持续产生 ATP 的途径，通过控制能量耗散使该途径在远离平衡的状态下得以维持。我们在系统负载变化的情况下保持 ATP 的恒定水平。该途径使我们能够控制渗透物的跨膜通量，并证明基本的物理化学动态平衡。我们的工作在生命所需的最低复杂性水平上展示了类似细胞系统中的代谢能量守恒和细胞体积调节机制。
