Dipeptide coacervates as artificial membraneless organelles for bioorthogonal catalysis

Shoupeng Cao, Tsvetomir Ivanov, Julian Heuer, Calum T. J. Ferguson, Katharina Landfester () and Lucas Caire da Silva ()
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Shoupeng Cao: Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research
Tsvetomir Ivanov: Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research
Julian Heuer: Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research
Calum T. J. Ferguson: Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research
Katharina Landfester: Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research
Lucas Caire da Silva: Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research

Nature Communications, 2024, vol. 15, issue 1, 1-14

Abstract: Abstract Artificial organelles can manipulate cellular functions and introduce non-biological processes into cells. Coacervate droplets have emerged as a close analog of membraneless cellular organelles. Their biomimetic properties, such as molecular crowding and selective partitioning, make them promising components for designing cell-like materials. However, their use as artificial organelles has been limited by their complex molecular structure, limited control over internal microenvironment properties, and inherent colloidal instability. Here we report the design of dipeptide coacervates that exhibit enhanced stability, biocompatibility, and a hydrophobic microenvironment. The hydrophobic character facilitates the encapsulation of hydrophobic species, including transition metal-based catalysts, enhancing their efficiency in aqueous environments. Dipeptide coacervates carrying a metal-based catalyst are incorporated as active artificial organelles in cells and trigger an internal non-biological chemical reaction. The development of coacervates with a hydrophobic microenvironment opens an alternative avenue in the field of biomimetic materials with applications in catalysis and synthetic biology.

Date: 2024
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-44278-9

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