Abstract
As a supramolecular micromachine with information flow, a giant vesicle (GV)-based artificial cell that exhibits a linked proliferation between GV reproduction and internal DNA amplification has been explored in this study. The linked proliferation is controlled by a complex consisting of GV membrane-intruded DNA with acidic amphiphilic catalysts, working overall as a lipo-deoxyribozyme. Here, we investigated how a GV-based artificial cell containing this lipo-deoxyribozyme responds to diverse external and internal environments, changing its proliferative dynamics. We observed morphological changes (phenotypic expression) in GVs induced by the addition of membrane precursors with different intervals of addition (starvation periods). First, we focused on a new phenotype, the “multiple tubulated” form, which emerged after a long starvation period. Compared to other forms, the multiple tubulated form is characterized by a larger membrane surface with a heavily cationic charge. A second consideration is the effect of the chain length of encapsulated DNA on competitive proliferation. The competitive proliferation among three different species of artificial cells containing different lengths of DNA was investigated. The results clearly showed a distinct intervention in the proliferation dynamics of the artificial cells with each other. In this sense, our GV-based artificial cell can be regarded as an intelligent supramolecular machine responding to external and internal environments, providing a new concept for developing molecular machines and robotics.
Highlights
Model artificial cells have drawn considerable attention from the viewpoint of revealing the origin of life and its intrinsic nature [1,2]
The investigation was focused on the response of our self-reproductive, giant vesicle (GV)-based artificial cell towards severe external conditions; one is starvation of nutrients and the other is scrambling for the nutrients between artificial cells containing different DNA
The adaptative or competitive response of the GV-based artificial cell was derived from the difference in the concentration or structure of C@DNA which worked as lipo-deoxyribozyme in the GV membranes
Summary
Model artificial cells have drawn considerable attention from the viewpoint of revealing the origin of life and its intrinsic nature [1,2]. We found the emergence of a primitive information flow in our GV-based artificial cell, starting from the amplification of DNA, the accumulation of C@DNA in the GV membrane, the accelerated formation of membrane lipid V around C@DNA, and the induction of an equivolume division as a result of budding deformation. In this flow, DNA in C@DNA is an information molecule and works as a cocatalyst to convert V* to V in the GV membrane. Rmeolelevcaunlat rmsotrlueccutularerss.tVru*ctisuraeps.reVc*urissoarporfemcuermsobrraonf emliepmidbsra(nnuetlriipeindtss)(,nVutirsieanmtse),mVbriasnae mliepmidb,rEanies alipwiadt,erE-soisluablewealteecrt-rsoollyutbel,eanedlecCtroislyatne,aamnpdhiCphiislicacnataamlypsthi(pbh).iliDc NcAataalymspt li(fibc).atDioNnAin aGmVp-lbifaisceadtioanrtiifincGiaVl c-belalsseadndartthifeicfioarlmcealtlisoannodf tCh@e DfoNrmAaatniodnitosfpCr@olDifNerAatiaonndinitdsupcreodlibfeyrathtieoandidnidtiuocnedof bVy*th(ce).adAdrittiifiocniaolfcVel*ls(ce)x.hAibrtiitfiincgiapl cheelnlsoetyxphiicbiptilnasgtipchiteyndoetyppeincdpinlagstoicnitsytadrevpaetinodnintigmoen(dst)a. rCvaotmiopnettiimtivee (pdr).oClifoemraptieotintibveetpwreoelinfeGraVtisoinncboertwpoereantiGngVsdiiffnceorernptoDraNtinAgldenifgfethresn. tRDedNAdoluenbglethhse.lRiceeds rdeopurbesleenhteslihcoesrt rDepNreAseanntdshboluret DdoNuAblaenodnbeslureepdroeusebnlet olonnegs DreNprAes(een).t long DNA (e)
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