RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Controlled exchange of protein and nucleic acid signals from and between synthetic minimal cells
JF bioRxiv
FD Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
SP 2022.01.03.474826
DO 10.1101/2022.01.03.474826
A1 Heili, Joseph M.
A1 Stokes, Kaitlin
A1 Gaut, Nathaniel J.
A1 Deich, Christopher
A1 Gomez-Garcia, Jose
A1 Cash, Brock
A1 Pawlak, Matthew R.
A1 Engelhart, Aaron E
A1 Adamala, Katarzyna P.
YR 2022
UL http://biorxiv.org/content/early/2022/01/03/2022.01.03.474826.abstract
AB Synthetic minimal cells are a class of small liposome bioreactors that have some, but not all functions of live cells. Here, we report a critical step towards the development of a bottom-up minimal cell: cellular export of functional protein and RNA products. We used cell penetrating peptide tags to translocate payloads across a synthetic cell vesicle membrane. We demonstrated efficient transport of active enzymes, and transport of nucleic acid payloads by RNA binding proteins. We investigated influence of a concentration gradient alongside other factors on the efficiency of the translocation, and we show a method to increase product accumulation in one location. We demonstrate the use of this technology to engineer molecular communication between different populations of synthetic cells, to exchange protein and nucleic acid signals. The synthetic minimal cell production and export of proteins or nucleic acids allows experimental designs that approach the complexity and relevancy of natural biological systems.Competing Interest StatementThe authors have declared no competing interest.