title: Chemical Signaling and Functional Activation in Colloidosome-Based Protocells.
abstract: An aqueous-based microcompartmentalized model involving the integration of partially hydrophobic Fe(III)-rich montmorillonite (FeM) clay particles as structural and catalytic building blocks for colloidosome membrane assembly, self-directed membrane remodeling, and signal-induced protocell communication is described. The clay colloidosomes exhibit size- and charge-selective permeability, and show dual catalytic functions involving spatially confined enzyme-mediated dephosphorylation and peroxidase-like membrane activity. The latter is used for the colloidosome-mediated synthesis and assembly of a temperature-responsive poly(N-isopropylacrylamide)(PNIPAM)/clay-integrated hybrid membrane. In situ PNIPAM elaboration of the membrane is coupled to a glucose oxidase (GOx)-mediated signaling pathway to establish a primitive model of chemical communication and functional activation within a synthetic "protocell community" comprising a mixed population of GOx-containing silica colloidosomes and alkaline phosphatase (ALP)-containing FeM-clay colloidosomes. Triggering the enzyme reaction in the silica colloidosomes gives a hydrogen peroxide signal that induces polymer wall formation in a coexistent population of the FeM-clay colloidosomes, which in turn generates self-regulated membrane-gated ALP-activity within the clay microcompartments. The emergence of new functionalities in inorganic colloidosomes via chemical communication between different protocell populations provides a first step toward the realization of interacting communities of synthetic functional microcompartments.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Protolife Research and Centre for Organized Matter Chemistry, School of Chemistry, University of Bristol, Bristol, BS8 1TS, UK.|School of Environment and Resource, Key Laboratory of Solid Waste Treatment and Resource Recycle, Southwest University of Science and Technology, Mianyang, Sichuan, 621010, China.
authors.forename: Shiyong
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: Centre for Protolife Research and Centre for Organized Matter Chemistry, School of Chemistry, University of Bristol, Bristol, BS8 1TS, UK.
authors.forename: Mei
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: School of Environment and Resource, Key Laboratory of Solid Waste Treatment and Resource Recycle, Southwest University of Science and Technology, Mianyang, Sichuan, 621010, China.
authors.forename: Faqin
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Dong
authors.affiliation: Centre for Protolife Research and Centre for Organized Matter Chemistry, School of Chemistry, University of Bristol, Bristol, BS8 1TS, UK.|Centre for Bioengineering and Biotechnology, China University of Petroleum, Qingdao, 266580, China.
authors.forename: Shengjie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Centre for Protolife Research and Centre for Organized Matter Chemistry, School of Chemistry, University of Bristol, Bristol, BS8 1TS, UK.
authors.forename: Liangfei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tian
authors.affiliation: Centre for Protolife Research and Centre for Organized Matter Chemistry, School of Chemistry, University of Bristol, Bristol, BS8 1TS, UK.
authors.forename: Stephen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mann
mesh_terms: D001546:Bentonite / Q000737:chemistry; D002384:Catalysis; D003102:Colloids; D011108:Polymers / Q000737:chemistry; D015398:Signal Transduction; D013052:Spectrometry, X-Ray Emission
chemical_list: D003102:Colloids; D011108:Polymers; D001546:Bentonite
keywords: colloidosomes; microcapsules; protocells