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Modulation of Higher‐order Behaviour in Model Protocell Communities by Artificial Phagocytosis
Author(s) -
RodríguezArco Laura,
Kumar B. V. V. S. Pavan,
Li Mei,
Patil Avinash J.,
Mann Stephen
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
angewandte chemie
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1521-3757
pISSN - 0044-8249
DOI - 10.1002/ange.201901469
Subject(s) - protocell , phagocytosis , modulation (music) , order (exchange) , artificial cell , chemistry , biophysics , nanotechnology , biology , materials science , microbiology and biotechnology , physics , biochemistry , membrane , finance , acoustics , economics
Collective behaviour in mixed populations of synthetic protocells is an unexplored area of bottom‐up synthetic biology. The dynamics of a model protocell community is exploited to modulate the function and higher‐order behaviour of mixed populations of bioinorganic protocells in response to a process of artificial phagocytosis. Enzyme‐loaded silica colloidosomes are spontaneously engulfed by magnetic Pickering emulsion (MPE) droplets containing complementary enzyme substrates to initiate a range of processes within the host/guest protocells. Specifically, catalase, lipase, or alkaline phosphatase‐filled colloidosomes are used to trigger phagocytosis‐induced buoyancy, membrane reconstruction, or hydrogelation, respectively, within the MPE droplets. The results highlight the potential for exploiting surface‐contact interactions between different membrane‐bounded droplets to transfer and co‐locate discrete chemical packages (artificial organelles) in communities of synthetic protocells.