CAREER: Aqueous Multiphase Assembly of Membraneless Synthetic Cell Structures: Research, Education and Outreach

细胞在隔室之间进行交流，以组织支持生命的反应。合成细胞还需要能够交流，以展示有用的特征，例如以特定的方式感知其他生物体和对外部提示做出反应。线索可能是小分子，也可能是蛋白质、RNA或DNA。该项目将探索使用生物启发的多相水相系统来创建合成的无膜细胞，这些细胞被编程为表达和展示信使蛋白，并使用蛋白质信号进行通信。该项目还将支持对美洲原住民学生的培训和教育。与纳瓦霍技术大学(NTU)的合作将为NTU的学生提供一个跨机构的合成生物学课程和一个由UNM资助的暑期研究实习机会。该项目旨在通过在发送和接收合成细胞之间交换表达的蛋白质信使来创建能够进行化学通信的水相多相无膜合成细胞系统。对这些概念的测试将在无细胞蛋白质合成系统中进行。转录和翻译试剂将在发送细胞中诱导合成荧光信使蛋白，并将其转移到接收细胞。成功将提供一个原理证明，由基因编码的生物材料实现的热力学控制机制可以推动无膜合成细胞之间的化学通信。将制定分级多水相系统内信号和生物活性控制的设计规则。无膜合成细胞可用于生产生物分子、输送药物、监测环境或增强组织工程。该项目由ENG/CBET中的细胞和生化工程计划和既定的刺激竞争研究计划(EPSCoR)联合资助。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Cells communicate between compartments to organize the reactions that support life. Synthetic cells also need to be able to communicate in order to exhibit useful traits, such as sensing other organisms and responding to external cues in specific ways. The cues might be small molecules, or they might be proteins, RNA, or DNA. This project will explore using bioinspired aqueous multiphase systems to create synthetic membraneless cells programmed to express and display messenger proteins, and communicate using protein signals. The project will also support training and education of Native American students. A partnership with Navajo Technical University (NTU) will deliver a cross-institutional synthetic biology course and a funded UNM summer research internship for NTU students. This project aims to create aqueous multiphase membrane free synthetic cell systems capable of chemical communication by exchange of an expressed protein messenger between sending and receiving synthetic cells. Testing of these concepts will take place in a cell-free protein synthesis system. Transcription and translation reagents will induce synthesis of a fluorescent messenger protein in sender cells and transferred to receiver cells. Success will provide a proof-of-principle that thermodynamic control mechanisms enabled by genetically encoded biomaterials can drive chemical communication between membraneless synthetic cells. Design rules for control of signaling and biological activity within hierarchical, aqueous multiple phase systems will be developed. Membrane free synthetic cells could be used to produce biomolecules, deliver drugs, monitor the environment, or enhance tissue engineering.This project is jointly funded by the Cellular and Biochemical Engineering Program in ENG/CBET and by the Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR).This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.