Department of Pure and Applied Chemistry, University of Strathclyde, Thomas Graham Building, Glasgow, UK.
Department of Chemistry and Centre for Synthetic Biology, Technical University of Darmstadt, Darmstadt, Germany.
Nat Chem. 2024 Apr;16(4):564-574. doi: 10.1038/s41557-023-01391-y. Epub 2023 Dec 4.
Artificial cells are biomimetic microstructures that mimic functions of natural cells, can be applied as building blocks for molecular systems engineering, and host synthetic biology pathways. Here we report enzymatically synthesized polymer-based artificial cells with the ability to express proteins. Artificial cells were synthesized using biocatalytic atom transfer radical polymerization-induced self-assembly, in which myoglobin synthesizes amphiphilic block co-polymers that self-assemble into structures such as micelles, worm-like micelles, polymersomes and giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs). The GUVs encapsulate cargo during the polymerization, including enzymes, nanoparticles, microparticles, plasmids and cell lysate. The resulting artificial cells act as microreactors for enzymatic reactions and for osteoblast-inspired biomineralization. Moreover, they can express proteins such as a fluorescent protein and actin when fed with amino acids. Actin polymerizes in the vesicles and alters the artificial cells' internal structure by creating internal compartments. Thus, biocatalytic atom transfer radical polymerization-induced self-assembly-derived GUVs can mimic bacteria as they are composed of a microscopic reaction compartment that contains genetic information for protein expression upon induction.
人工细胞是仿生的微观结构，模拟天然细胞的功能，可以作为分子系统工程的构建模块，并容纳合成生物学途径。在这里，我们报告了具有表达蛋白质能力的酶合成聚合物基人工细胞。人工细胞是使用生物催化原子转移自由基聚合诱导自组装合成的，其中肌红蛋白合成两亲性嵌段共聚物，自组装成胶束、蠕虫状胶束、聚合物囊泡和巨大的单分子层囊泡 (GUV) 等结构。在聚合过程中，GUV 可以封装货物，包括酶、纳米粒子、微粒子、质粒和细胞裂解物。所得的人工细胞可作为酶反应和成骨细胞样生物矿化的微反应器。此外，当用氨基酸喂养时，它们可以表达荧光蛋白和肌动蛋白等蛋白质。肌动蛋白在囊泡中聚合，并通过创建内部隔室来改变人工细胞的内部结构。因此，生物催化原子转移自由基聚合诱导自组装衍生的 GUV 可以模拟细菌，因为它们由一个微观反应隔室组成，该隔室包含诱导后表达蛋白质的遗传信息。
