Metabolic Protocells as Minimalistic Life-Like Entities
Cells composed of complex machinery are an increasing source of motivation for scientists due to their unmatched ability to perform a chain of events, such as cell growth, division, adhesion, self-protection in a hostile environment, and establishing intercellular communication via streamlining spatiotemporally chemically-fuelled interwoven metabolic reactions and downstream signal transduction processes.
In the absence of complex biochemical machinery, the hypothetical or artificial predecessors to the first biological cells (protocells) would be reliant on the self-organization of their components and their emergent ability to adapt in physicochemical conditions of the environment, attaining a basic level of autonomy and evolutionary viability.
Our research aims at re-enacting such fundamental principles to better understand the origin-of-life at later stages of evolution and make artifical life-life systems. Within the new Collaborative Research Center 1551 "Polymer Concepts for Cellular Function", we use our DNA protocells as mimics for the nucleoplasm. The Research and Training Group 2516 "Structure Formation of Soft Matter at Interfaces" supports our program on transmembrane signal transduction.
Selected References:
1. W. Liu, C. Lupfer, A. Samanta, A. Sarkar, A. Walther “Switchable Hydrophobic Pockets in DNA Protocells Enhance Chemical Conversion” J. Am. Chem. Soc. 145, 7090 (2023)
2. A. Samanta, M. Hörner, W. Liu, W. Weber, A. Walther “Signal-processing and adaptive prototissue formation in metabolic DNA protocells“, Nat. Commun. 13, 1 (2022).
3. S. Groeer, M. Garni, A. Samanta, A. Walther “Insertion of 3D DNA Origami Nanopores into Block Copolymer Vesicles“, ChemSystemsChem 2022, 4, e20220000 (2022).
4. Samanta, A., V. Sabatino, T. Ward, A. Walther. Functional and morphological adaptation in DNA protocells via signal processing prompted by artificial metalloenzymes Nat. Nanotechnol. 1856 (2020).
5. R. Merindol, S. Loescher, A. Samanta, A. Walther “Pathway-Controlled Formation of Mesostructured all-DNA Microgels and their Superstructures” Nat. Nanotechnol., 13, 730 (2018). (Cover Article, highlighted in Mirkin et al. Nat. Nanotech. 13, 624)