Reversible pH-Responsive Coacervate Formation in Lipid Vesicles Activates Dormant Enzymatic Reactions.

ABSTRACT: In situ, reversible coacervate formation within lipid vesicles represents a key step in the development of responsive synthetic cellular models. Herein, we exploit the pH responsiveness of a polycation above and below its pK_a , to drive liquid-liquid phase separation, to form single coacervate droplets within lipid vesicles. The process is completely reversible as coacervate droplets can be disassembled by increasing the pH above the pK_a . We further show that pH-triggered coacervation in the presence of low concentrations of enzymes activates dormant enzyme reactions by increasing the local concentration within the coacervate droplets and changing the local environment around the enzyme. In conclusion, this work establishes a tunable, pH responsive, enzymatically act

SUBMITTER: Love C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7187140 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature