Functional DNA-based cytoskeletons for synthetic cells.
Nat Chem
; 14(8): 958-963, 2022 08.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-35725773
ABSTRACT
The cytoskeleton is an essential component of a cell. It controls the cell shape, establishes the internal organization, and performs vital biological functions. Building synthetic cytoskeletons that mimic key features of their natural counterparts delineates a crucial step towards synthetic cells assembled from the bottom up. To this end, DNA nanotechnology represents one of the most promising routes, given the inherent sequence specificity, addressability and programmability of DNA. Here we demonstrate functional DNA-based cytoskeletons operating in microfluidic cell-sized compartments. The synthetic cytoskeletons consist of DNA tiles self-assembled into filament networks. These filaments can be rationally designed and controlled to imitate features of natural cytoskeletons, including reversible assembly and ATP-triggered polymerization, and we also explore their potential for guided vesicle transport in cell-sized confinement. Also, they possess engineerable characteristics, including assembly and disassembly powered by DNA hybridization or aptamer-target interactions and autonomous transport of gold nanoparticles. This work underpins DNA nanotechnology as a key player in building synthetic cells.
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1
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Nanopartículas Metálicas
/
Células Artificiais
Idioma:
En
Ano de publicação:
2022
Tipo de documento:
Article