Artificial Signal Transduction across Membranes

Abstract

A key conundrum in the construction of an artificial cell is to simultaneously maintain a robust physical barrier to the external environment, while also providing efficient exchange of information across this barrier. Biomimicry provides a number of avenues by which such requirements might be met. Herein, we provide a brief introduction to the challenges facing this field and explore progress to date.

Enhancing membrane-based soft materials with magnetic reconfiguration events

“…One of the simplest methods for enabling droplet–droplet exchange involves pore-forming agents such as the pore forming toxin (PFT) alpha-hemolysin ( α Hl). PFTs insert into lipid membranes without conformational states and create large non-gating channels 66 , enhancing the diffusive exchange between the compartments 67 . As a proof of the capabilities of magnetically infused DIB structures in generating functional reversible structure rearrangement processes, we focused on enabling transport through selectively infusing α Hl into droplet reconfiguration in a way that generates conductivity post magnetically triggered intercalation event.…”

Supramolecular chemistry in lipid bilayer membranes

“…The complexity of the process has somewhat hindered the development of artificial signalling systems, and systems that can couple all three steps of the process together are particularly rare. 49…”

Controlled dimerization of artificial membrane receptors for transmembrane signal transduction

“…We are currently unaware of any studies that have examined the design and construction of DNA nanostructures from the perspective of articial transmembrane signal transduction. 30,31 In this work, an articial transmembrane signal transducer was developed through the chemical input-mediated dimerization of articial DNA transmembrane receptors and the subsequent activation of a cascade of events inside the vesicles. Our approach involved mimics of transmembrane receptors with two transmembrane units, which carry recognition sites on the external terminus and signaling sites on the internal terminus.…”

“…We are currently unaware of any studies that have examined the design and construction of DNA nanostructures from the perspective of artificial transmembrane signal transduction. 30,31 …”