Engineering transient dynamics of artificial cells by stochastic distribution of enzymes

Shidong Song; Alexander F. Mason; Richard A. J. Post; Marco De Corato; Rafael Mestre; N. Amy Yewdall; Shoupeng Cao; Remco W. van der Hofstad; Samuel Sanchez; Loai K. E. A. Abdelmohsen; Jan C.M. van Hest

doi:10.1038/s41467-021-27229-0

Engineering transient dynamics of artificial cells by stochastic distribution of enzymes

Shidong Song
, Alexander F. Mason
, Richard A. J. Post
, Marco De Corato
, Rafael Mestre
, N. Amy Yewdall
, Shoupeng Cao
, Remco W. van der Hofstad
, Samuel Sanchez (Corresponding author)
, Loai K. E. A. Abdelmohsen (Corresponding author)
, Jan C.M. van Hest (Corresponding author)

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Academic › peer-review

44 Citations (Scopus)

105 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

Random fluctuations are inherent to all complex molecular systems. Although nature has evolved mechanisms to control stochastic events to achieve the desired biological output, reproducing this in synthetic systems represents a significant challenge. Here we present an artificial platform that enables us to exploit stochasticity to direct motile behavior. We found that enzymes, when confined to the fluidic polymer membrane of a core-shell coacervate, were distributed stochastically in time and space. This resulted in a transient, asymmetric configuration of propulsive units, which imparted motility to such coacervates in presence of substrate. This mechanism was confirmed by stochastic modelling and simulations in silico. Furthermore, we showed that a deeper understanding of the mechanism of stochasticity could be utilized to modulate the motion output. Conceptually, this work represents a leap in design philosophy in the construction of synthetic systems with life-like behaviors.

Original language	English
Article number	6897
Number of pages	9
Journal	Nature Communications
Volume	12
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-021-27229-0
Publication status	Published - 25 Nov 2021

Funding

Funders	Funder number
“la Caixa” Foundation	LCF/BQ/SO16/52270018
European Union's Horizon 2020 - Research and Innovation Framework Programme	712754, ERC consolidator grant, 694120
Marie Skłodowska‐Curie	GA 712754, SEV-2014-0425, 024.002.003
European Union's Horizon 2020 - Research and Innovation Framework Programme
Generalitat de Catalunya	CERCA Program
Ministerie van Onderwijs, Cultuur en Wetenschap	024.001.035
Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad
Rijksinstituut voor Volksgezondheid en Milieu	Gravitation Program 024.001.035, Gravitation Networks grant 024.002.003

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10.1038/s41467-021-27229-0

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title = "Engineering transient dynamics of artificial cells by stochastic distribution of enzymes",

abstract = "Random fluctuations are inherent to all complex molecular systems. Although nature has evolved mechanisms to control stochastic events to achieve the desired biological output, reproducing this in synthetic systems represents a significant challenge. Here we present an artificial platform that enables us to exploit stochasticity to direct motile behavior. We found that enzymes, when confined to the fluidic polymer membrane of a core-shell coacervate, were distributed stochastically in time and space. This resulted in a transient, asymmetric configuration of propulsive units, which imparted motility to such coacervates in presence of substrate. This mechanism was confirmed by stochastic modelling and simulations in silico. Furthermore, we showed that a deeper understanding of the mechanism of stochasticity could be utilized to modulate the motion output. Conceptually, this work represents a leap in design philosophy in the construction of synthetic systems with life-like behaviors.",

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AU - Song, Shidong

AU - Mason, Alexander F.

AU - Post, Richard A. J.

AU - De Corato, Marco

AU - Mestre, Rafael

AU - Yewdall, N. Amy

AU - Cao, Shoupeng

AU - van der Hofstad, Remco W.

AU - Sanchez, Samuel

AU - Abdelmohsen, Loai K. E. A.

AU - van Hest, Jan C.M.

PY - 2021/11/25

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N2 - Random fluctuations are inherent to all complex molecular systems. Although nature has evolved mechanisms to control stochastic events to achieve the desired biological output, reproducing this in synthetic systems represents a significant challenge. Here we present an artificial platform that enables us to exploit stochasticity to direct motile behavior. We found that enzymes, when confined to the fluidic polymer membrane of a core-shell coacervate, were distributed stochastically in time and space. This resulted in a transient, asymmetric configuration of propulsive units, which imparted motility to such coacervates in presence of substrate. This mechanism was confirmed by stochastic modelling and simulations in silico. Furthermore, we showed that a deeper understanding of the mechanism of stochasticity could be utilized to modulate the motion output. Conceptually, this work represents a leap in design philosophy in the construction of synthetic systems with life-like behaviors.

AB - Random fluctuations are inherent to all complex molecular systems. Although nature has evolved mechanisms to control stochastic events to achieve the desired biological output, reproducing this in synthetic systems represents a significant challenge. Here we present an artificial platform that enables us to exploit stochasticity to direct motile behavior. We found that enzymes, when confined to the fluidic polymer membrane of a core-shell coacervate, were distributed stochastically in time and space. This resulted in a transient, asymmetric configuration of propulsive units, which imparted motility to such coacervates in presence of substrate. This mechanism was confirmed by stochastic modelling and simulations in silico. Furthermore, we showed that a deeper understanding of the mechanism of stochasticity could be utilized to modulate the motion output. Conceptually, this work represents a leap in design philosophy in the construction of synthetic systems with life-like behaviors.

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Engineering transient dynamics of artificial cells by stochastic distribution of enzymes

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Author Correction: Engineering transient dynamics of artificial cells by stochastic distribution of enzymes (Nature Communications, (2021), 12, 1, (6897), 10.1038/s41467-021-27229-0)

Cite this