title: Microfluidic Formation of Membrane-Free Aqueous Coacervate Droplets in Water.
abstract: We report on the formation of coacervate droplets from poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride) with either adenosine triphosphate or carboxymethyl-dextran using a microfluidic flow-focusing system. The formed droplets exhibit improved stability and narrower size distributions for both coacervate compositions when compared to the conventional vortex dispersion techniques. We also demonstrate the use of two parallel flow-focusing channels for the simultaneous formation and co-location of two distinct populations of coacervate droplets containing different DNA oligonucleotides, and that the populations can coexist in close proximity up to 48 h without detectable exchange of genetic information. Our results show that the observed improvements in droplet stability and size distribution may be scaled with ease. In addition, the ability to encapsulate different materials into coacervate droplets using a microfluidic channel structure allows for their use as cell-mimicking compartments.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Chemical and Bioengineering, ETH Zurich, Wolfgang-Pauli-Str. 10, 8093 Zurich (Switzerland).
authors.forename: Dirk
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: van Swaay
authors.affiliation: Centre for Protolife Research, Centre for Organized Matter, School of Chemistry, University of Bristol, Bristol, BS8 1TS (UK).
authors.forename: T-Y Dora
authors.initials: TY
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.affiliation: Centre for Protolife Research, Centre for Organized Matter, School of Chemistry, University of Bristol, Bristol, BS8 1TS (UK). s.mann@bristol.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Stephen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mann
authors.affiliation: Institute for Chemical and Bioengineering, ETH Zurich, Wolfgang-Pauli-Str. 10, 8093 Zurich (Switzerland). andrew.demello@chem.ethz.ch.
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: de Mello
mesh_terms: D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate / Q000737:chemistry*; D058045:Artificial Cells / Q000737:chemistry / Q000166:cytology; D004247:DNA / Q000032:analysis*; D003911:Dextrans / Q000737:chemistry*; D004867:Equipment Design; D046210:Microfluidic Analytical Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation*; D000069497:Origin of Life; D010316:Particle Size; D011095:Polyethylenes / Q000737:chemistry*; D000644:Quaternary Ammonium Compounds / Q000737:chemistry*; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D003911:Dextrans; D011095:Polyethylenes; D000644:Quaternary Ammonium Compounds; D014867:Water; C041004:poly-N,N-dimethyl-N,N-diallylammonium chloride; D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate; D004247:DNA; C014392:carboxymethyl dextran
keywords: coacervate; microfluidics; microreactors; polymers; protocells