Mimicking protein uptake and secretion is essential when engineering synthetic cellular systems. In recent years we have developed an artificial cell platform based on coacervates which can effectively take up negatively charged cargo, including proteins. However, when the charge is permanent, secretion is severely hampered. To circumvent this issue we have created protein-oligo DNA conjugates, of which the protein is neutral and the oligonucleotide too small to achieve uptake. By hybridizing the oligo DNA with a longer DNA strand, affinity for the coacervate is installed. This uptake strand can furthermore be hybridized with a complementary release strand, which liberates the protein-DNA conjugate and enables cargo release. This concept allows for multiple iterations of triggered uptake and release, regulation of the amount and rate of protein release and the sequential release of three different proteins. This provides a very versatile basis for protein exchange and communication  between artificial cells.

DNA-mediated protein shuttling between coacervate-based artificial cells

Fall 2022 abstracts, posters, and presentations will launch in mid-September.

ACS Fall 2022

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.