ChemSystemsChem

Cell‐sized liposomes, the self‐assembled phospholipid vesicles with bilayer membranes, have garnered substantial attention across various fields, particularly as cell mimics. In this study, we introduce a simplified method for rapidly producing single‐ and multicompartment liposomes using a common laboratory vortex mixer. The simplicity of our method has the potential to greatly facilitate artificial cell and tissue‐related research, potentially leading to broader applications of liposomes.

Nan-Nan Deng

Zhen-Hong Luo

Gong-Yu Shi

Easy, rapid and high‐throughput production of single and multicompartment liposomes by vortex emulsification

涡旋乳化法制备单室和多室脂质体的简易、快速及高通量生产

Pursuing non‐equilibrium chemistry with (bio)molecules is of utmost importance for the design of life‐like dynamic materials that emerge in a constant flux of energy. Herein, we explore spatial localization of a dissipative self‐assembly of biocondensate (DNA‐histone) via passing chemical fuel (histone) and one fuel‐degrading agent (trypsin) through two arms of the Y‐shaped microfluidic chip. In this case, continuous supply of fuel and fuel‐degrading agent results self‐assembly of biocondensate, maintaining a non‐equilibrium steady state (NESS). We find in the presence of gradient of dissipating conditions, the formation zone of biocondensate drifts towards fuel‐rich zone (away from dissipating zone). In absence of fuel‐degrading agent, diffusive transport of free DNA towards histone channel (perpendicular to advection) is restricted as it formed much larger micron‐sized biocondensate at the center of the channel (the meeting point of two flows). However, this sidewise DNA diffusion is operative in the presence of fuel‐degrading agent and therefore, the formation zone shifted to histone‐rich zone. Furthermore, we demonstrate that in the presence of trypsin, catalytic DNA’s peroxidase reactivity can be moved to histone‐rich region. Transposition of self‐assembly process in a gradient of dissipative conditions will be of importance in the development of spatially‐controlled chemistry, reaction‐diffusion processes.

Sakshi Juneja

Neetu Sivoria

Subhabrata Maiti

Spatial Shifting of Biocondensate Assembly Zone in a Microfluidic Gradient of Dissipative Condition

微流控耗散条件梯度中生物凝聚体组装区空间位移

Regulating the formation and dissolution of active complex coacervate droplets with chemical reactions offers a powerful synthetic cell model. Such active droplets are also helpful in understanding the non‐equilibrium nature of membrane‐less organelles. Like many membrane‐less organelles, these droplets rely on high‐chemical potential reagents, like ATP, to maintain their transient nature. This study explores Activated Carboxylic Acids (ACAs) as a high chemical potential fuel to modulate the lifetime of peptide‐based coacervates through transient pH changes. We demonstrate that nitroacetic acid, a commonly used ACA, can effectively induce the formation and dissolution of coacervates by transiently altering the solution's pH. The system, comprising the zwitterionic peptide Ac‐FRGRGD‐OH and polyanions, forms coacervates upon protonation at low pH and dissolves as the pH returns to neutral. Our findings indicate that the lifetime of these synthetic cells can be fine‐tuned by varying the amount of ACA added, and the system can be refueled multiple times without significant interference from by‐products. This ACA‐driven reaction cycle is versatile, accommodating various coacervate compositions and enabling the uptake of diverse compounds, making it a valuable model for compartmentalization. The study underscores the potential of ACA‐fueled coacervates as a platform for investigating biomolecular condensates and developing synthetic life systems.

Matteo Valentini

Stefano Di Stefano

Job Boekhoven

Coacervate‐Droplet Cased Synthetic Cells Regulated By Activated Carboxylic Acids (ACAs)

活性羧酸（ACAs）调控的凝聚液滴包被合成细胞

Akira Kaneyoshi

Shota Nomura

Takato Maeda

Takahiro Kusukawa

Yoshihiro Kikkawa

Munenori Numata

Front Cover: Photostimuli Reach a Selective Intermediate in a Microflow: One‐Shot Transformation from a Supramolecular Co‐Polymer to a Micro‐Disk Structure (ChemSystemsChem 6/2024)

封面：光刺激在微流中达到选择性中间态：超分子共聚物到微盘结构的一次性转变（ChemSystemsChem 2024年第6期）

Pamela Knoll

Corentin C. Loron

Front Cover: Effect of Temperature on Calcium‐Based Chemical Garden Growth (ChemSystemsChem 5/2024)

封面：温度对基于钙的化学花园生长的影响（ChemSystemsChem 2024年5月刊）

Coacervates have been investigated as protocells or synthetic cells, as well as subcellular compartments for the creation of new materials, thus bridging the gap between living and non‐living systems in materials science, synthetic biology, and bioengineering. Given the design flexibility and simplicity of coacervates, along with the functionality and complexity of natural cells, the interfacing of complex coacervates with natural cells is considered significant for various biotechnological and biomedical applications. In this review, the fundamental mechanisms and underlying theories of coacervate systems are introduced. Recent efforts to interface coacervates with natural cells are summarized in three key scenarios: (i) the integration of coacervates with natural cell components for the living material assembly into protocells; (ii) communication between therapeutic synthetic cells and natural cells for drug delivery and cell repair; and (iii) the formation of intracellular condensates for metabolic regulation, followed by the regulation of their phase transitions for pathological elucidation. Finally, the potential of coacervate‐natural cell interfaces is discussed in the context of developing living/synthetic cell constructs, creating precise disease therapy strategies, and advancing programmable metabolic engineering networks.

He Meng

Yanglimin Ji

Yan Qiao

Interfacing Complex Coacervates with Natural Cells

复杂凝聚层与天然细胞的界面

Supramolecular systems are often designed such that a steady state exists. However, the ability to design systems with pre‐determined changes in state can lead to highly dynamic materials, with evolving supramolecular structures and adaptable material properties. This approach is of great interest from the perspective of designing adaptive systems as well as from a broader systems chemistry perspective. Here, we report how a transient system can be altered to access different mechanical properties and transitions by varying the trigger and temperature. The aging of these systems is also explored, as the networks continually evolve long past the common cut‐off point of analysis of one day. We therefore provide new insights into the control of transient gels, as well as an understanding as to the underpinning supramolecular structures and how they evolve with time.

Abbreviation	ChemSystemsChem.
Journal Impact	3.02
Quartiles(Global)	CHEMISTRY, MULTIDISCIPLINARY(Q2)

Publication Information	Publisher: John Wiley and Sons Inc，Publishing cycle: ，Journal Type: journal，Open Access Journals: No
Basic data	Year of publication: 2019，Proportion of original research papers: ，Self Citation Rate:， Gold OA Rate: 40.54

ChemSystemsChem

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Easy, rapid and high‐throughput production of single and multicompartment liposomes by vortex emulsification

Spatial Shifting of Biocondensate Assembly Zone in a Microfluidic Gradient of Dissipative Condition

Coacervate‐Droplet Cased Synthetic Cells Regulated By Activated Carboxylic Acids (ACAs)

Front Cover: Photostimuli Reach a Selective Intermediate in a Microflow: One‐Shot Transformation from a Supramolecular Co‐Polymer to a Micro‐Disk Structure (ChemSystemsChem 6/2024)

Front Cover: Effect of Temperature on Calcium‐Based Chemical Garden Growth (ChemSystemsChem 5/2024)

Coacervate‐Droplet Cased Synthetic Cells Regulated By Activated Carboxylic Acids (ACAs)

Spatial Shifting of Biocondensate Assembly Zone in a Microfluidic Gradient of Dissipative Condition

Easy, rapid and high‐throughput production of single and multicompartment liposomes by vortex emulsification

Interfacing Complex Coacervates with Natural Cells

Designing and controlling transient supramolecular gels