title: Spontaneous structuration in coacervate-based protocells by polyoxometalate-mediated membrane assembly.
abstract: Molecularly crowded, polyelectrolyte/ribonucleotide-enriched membrane-free coacervate droplets are transformed into membrane-bounded sub-divided vesicles by using a polyoxometalate-mediated surface-templating procedure. The coacervate to vesicle transition results in reconstruction of the coacervate micro-droplets into novel three-tiered micro-compartments comprising a semi-permeable negatively charged polyoxometalate/polyelectrolyte outer membrane, a sub-membrane coacervate shell, and an internal aqueous lumen. We demonstrate that organic dyes, ssDNA, magnetic nanoparticles and enzymes can be concentrated into the interior of the micro-compartments by sequestration into the coacervate micro-droplets prior to vesicle formation. The vesicle-encapsulated proteins are inaccessible to proteases in the external medium, and can be exploited for the spatial localization and coupling of two-enzyme cascade reactions within single or between multiple populations of hybrid vesicles dispersed in aqueous media.
authors: Centre for Organized Matter Chemistry, School of Chemistry, University of Bristol, Bristol, BS8 1TS, UK.
authors: David S
authors: DS
authors: Williams
authors: Avinash J
authors: AJ
authors: Patil
authors: Stephen
authors: S
authors: Mann
mesh_terms: D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate / Q000737:chemistry; D058045:Artificial Cells / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000187:drug effects; D004573:Electrolytes / Q000737:chemistry; D005949:Glucose Oxidase / Q000378:metabolism; D006735:Horseradish Peroxidase / Q000378:metabolism; D060328:Magnetic Phenomena; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D017973:Tungsten Compounds / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000099294:Polyoxometalates
chemical_list: D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate; D004573:Electrolytes; D005949:Glucose Oxidase; D006735:Horseradish Peroxidase; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D017973:Tungsten Compounds; C102296:polyoxometalate I; D000099294:Polyoxometalates