Self-division of giant vesicles driven by an internal enzymatic reaction.

ABSTRACT: Self-division is one of the most common phenomena in living systems and one of the most important properties of life driven by internal mechanisms of cells. Design and engineering of synthetic cells from abiotic components can recreate a life-like function thus contributing to the understanding of the origin of life. Existing methods to induce the self-division of vesicles require external and non-autonomous triggers (temperature change and the addition of membrane precursors). Here we show that pH-responsive giant unilamellar vesicles on the micrometer scale can undergo self-division triggered by an internal autonomous chemical stimulus driven by an enzymatic (urea-urease) reaction coupled to a cross-membrane transport of the substrate, urea. The bilayer of the artificial cells is compose

SUBMITTER: Miele Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8157745 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature