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Electrostatically gated membrane permeability in inorganic protocells

Li, Mei; Harbron, Rachel L.; Weaver, Jonathan V.M.; Binks, Bernard P.; Mann, Stephen

Authors

Mei Li

Rachel L. Harbron

Jonathan V.M. Weaver

Stephen Mann



Abstract

Although several strategies are now available to produce functional microcompartments analogous to primitive cell-like structures, little progress has been made in generating protocell constructs with self-controlled membrane permeability. Here we describe the preparation of water-dispersible colloidosomes based on silica nanoparticles and delineated by a continuous semipermeable inorganic membrane capable of self-activated, electrostatically gated permeability. We use crosslinking and covalent grafting of a pH-responsive copolymer to generate an ultrathin elastic membrane that exhibits selective release and uptake of small molecules. This behaviour, which depends on the charge of the copolymer coronal layer, serves to trigger enzymatic dephosphorylation reactions specifically within the protocell aqueous interior. This system represents a step towards the design and construction of alternative types of artificial chemical cells and protocell models based on spontaneous processes of inorganic self-organization.

Citation

Li, M., Harbron, R. L., Weaver, J. V., Binks, B. P., & Mann, S. (2013). Electrostatically gated membrane permeability in inorganic protocells. Nature Chemistry, 5(6), 529-536. https://doi.org/10.1038/nchem.1644

Journal Article Type Article
Acceptance Date Mar 20, 2013
Online Publication Date May 5, 2013
Publication Date Jun 1, 2013
Deposit Date Nov 13, 2014
Publicly Available Date Mar 29, 2024
Journal Nature chemistry
Print ISSN 1755-4330
Electronic ISSN 1755-4349
Publisher Nature Publishing Group
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 5
Issue 6
Pages 529-536
DOI https://doi.org/10.1038/nchem.1644
Keywords General Chemistry; General Chemical Engineering
Public URL https://hull-repository.worktribe.com/output/470971
Publisher URL http://www.nature.com/nchem/journal/v5/n6/full/nchem.1644.html
Additional Information Authors' accepted manuscript of article published in: Nature chemistry, 2013, v.5, issue 6

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