Programmed spatial organization of biomacromolecules into discrete, coacervate-based protocells.

ABSTRACT: The cell cytosol is crowded with high concentrations of many different biomacromolecules, which is difficult to mimic in bottom-up synthetic cell research and limits the functionality of existing protocellular platforms. There is thus a clear need for a general, biocompatible, and accessible tool to more accurately emulate this environment. Herein, we describe the development of a discrete, membrane-bound coacervate-based protocellular platform that utilizes the well-known binding motif between Ni²⁺-nitrilotriacetic acid and His-tagged proteins to exercise a high level of control over the loading of biologically relevant macromolecules. This platform can accrete proteins in a controlled, efficient, and benign manner, culminating in the enhancement of an encapsulated two-enzyme c

SUBMITTER: Altenburg WJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7722712 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature