Simple and complex coacervate microdroplets are attractive models of membrane-less synthetic cells and compartments. However, efforts to shape and strengthen them have lacked ways to incorporate structures that can bear loads and exert forces. Here we show that dissipative self-assembly can take place in complex coacervates of cationic polypeptides and NTPs or RNA, enabling the dynamic formation and degradation of protein filaments inside the coacervates. In the intrinsically crowded environment of the coacervates filaments further assemble into bundles that are able to strongly deform the coacervate droplets as long as chemical energy is supplied. At sufficiently high precursor concentrations the filament can induce fragmentation of the coacervate compartments, dividing them into multiple daughter cells. These experiments could help explain how structure formation was favored in crowded protocells and open the way for experiments aimed at controlling the shape and rigidity of membrane-less synthetic cells.

Build-up and breakdown of a cytoskeleton in complex coacervate synthetic cells

253rd National Meeting (2017)

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