Open AccessTwo-Way Chemical Communication between Artificial and Natural Cells
Author(s) -
Roberta Lentini,
Noël Yeh Martín,
Michele Forlin,
Luca Belmonte,
Jason Fontana,
Michele Cornella,
Lorenzo Martini,
Sabrina Tamburini,
William E. Bentley,
Olivier Jousson,
Sheref S. Mansy
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
acs central science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2374-7951
pISSN - 2374-7943
DOI - 10.1021/acscentsci.6b00330
Subject(s) - quorum sensing , homoserine , artificial cell , lactone , cell signaling , chemical communication , bacteria , chemistry , biology , biochemistry , nanotechnology , signal transduction , gene , materials science , genetics , sex pheromone , membrane , virulence
Artificial cells capable of both sensing and sending chemical messages to bacteria have yet to be built. Here we show that artificial cells that are able to sense and synthesize quorum signaling molecules can chemically communicate with V. fischeri , V. harveyi , E. coli , and P. aeruginosa . Activity was assessed by fluorescence, luminescence, RT-qPCR, and RNA-seq. Two potential applications for this technology were demonstrated. First, the extent to which artificial cells could imitate natural cells was quantified by a type of cellular Turing test. Artificial cells capable of sensing and in response synthesizing and releasing N -3-(oxohexanoyl)homoserine lactone showed a high degree of likeness to natural V. fischeri under specific test conditions. Second, artificial cells that sensed V. fischeri and in response degraded a quorum signaling molecule of P. aeruginosa ( N -(3-oxododecanoyl)homoserine lactone) were constructed, laying the foundation for future technologies that control complex networks of natural cells.