Protoeukaryotes · Multicompartmental Designs For Protocells

Multicompartmental Designs For Protocells

Origin of cellularity on early earth has been one of the most long-standing mysteries in science-how did first cells emerge in a world devoid of biological evolution from non-living components? To answer this question, many protocellular models have been proposed which to some degree mimic the functions of living cells. Protocells are encapsulated microsystems capable of a range of integrated biomimetic processes, such as gene expression, RNA-mediated replication and minimal metabolism. Most of the current designs of protocells are simple involving a single type of compartments or simply demonstrate the spatial coupling of enzymatic reactions across different subcompartments (organelles). The next step which will be key to get closer to mimicking biological systems is to make the different compartments interact dynamically, regulating each other’s functions to give rise to a state similar to “homeostasis”. Protocells can also be perceived as smart micromachines whose adaptive and self-referential properties would find applications in emerging technologies aimed at addressing some of the societal challenges of the European Union. For example, sensing/sequestration of specific molecules can be used in clinical diagnosis or in environmental remediation; selective/stimulated exchange of materials with the environment is valuable in targeted drug delivery; transduction of external energy into chemical energy would find utility in microscale bioreactors. The advantages of protocells for these applications are ease/cost of manufacture, robustness and integration onto the environment. The focus is to develop multi-compartmentalized protocellular systems which can exhibit self-regulation which so widely seen in biological systems. The objectives pursued are: 1. Construct protoeukaryotes capable of self-regulation of function or metabolite levels. 2. Construct protoeukaryotes capable of locomotion through reversible control of gas vesicles. 3. Protocellular hosts for cyanobacteria as endosymbionts for light energy harvesting. The conclusions of the project are - - By employing stimuli responsive polymer gates on membranes of protocells we have achieved self-actuation of the membrane properties. - Buoyancy mediated motility has been achieved in microcapsules - By spontaneous uptake of chloroplasts by polymer microdroplets (coacervates) enabled the realisation of protocells with light harvesting capabilities.

Текст от CORDIS, на английски · Данни: CORDIS, © Европейски съюз