Modulation of Higher‐order Behaviour in Model Protocell Communities by Artificial Phagocytosis

• Published in: Angewandte Chemie International Edition Vol. 58; no. 19; pp. 6333 - 6337
• Main Authors: Rodríguez‐Arco, Laura, Kumar, B. V. V. S. Pavan, Li, Mei, Patil, Avinash J., Mann, Stephen
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Germany Wiley Subscription Services, Inc 06.05.2019; John Wiley and Sons Inc
• Edition: International ed. in English
• Subjects: Alkaline phosphatase; Artificial Cells - metabolism; Catalase; Catalase - metabolism; Colloiding; colloids; Communication; Communications; Communities; Community participation; Contact potentials; Droplets; emulsions; Enzymes; Hydrogen Peroxide - metabolism; Lipase; Lipase - metabolism; microcapsules; Models, Biological; Organelles; Organic chemistry; Phagocytosis; Populations; protocells; Silica; Silicon dioxide; Substrates; Triolein - metabolism; enzymes; microcapsules; colloids; emulsions; protocells
• ISSN: 1433-7851; 1521-3773; 1521-3773
• DOI: 10.1002/anie.201901469

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. The modulation of higher‐order behaviour in model protocell communities was investigated. 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.