Thermo-responsive aqueous two-phase system for two-level compartmentalization

Huanqing Cui; Yage Zhang; Sihan Liu; Yang Cao; Qingming Ma; Yuan Liu; Haisong Lin; Chang Li; Yang Xiao; Sammer Ul Hassan; Ho Cheung Shum

doi:10.1038/s41467-024-51043-z

Nature Communications (Aug 2024)

Thermo-responsive aqueous two-phase system for two-level compartmentalization

Huanqing Cui,
Yage Zhang,
Sihan Liu,
Yang Cao,
Qingming Ma,
Yuan Liu,
Haisong Lin,
Chang Li,
Yang Xiao,
Sammer Ul Hassan,
Ho Cheung Shum

Affiliations

Huanqing Cui: Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Hong Kong
Yage Zhang: Advanced Biomedical Instrumentation Centre
Sihan Liu: Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Hong Kong
Yang Cao: Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Hong Kong
Qingming Ma: School of Pharmacy, Qingdao University
Yuan Liu: Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Hong Kong
Haisong Lin: Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Hong Kong
Chang Li: Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Hong Kong
Yang Xiao: Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Hong Kong
Sammer Ul Hassan: Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Hong Kong
Ho Cheung Shum: Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Hong Kong

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-51043-z
Journal volume & issue: Vol. 15, no. 1
pp. 1 – 13

Abstract

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Abstract Hierarchical compartmentalization responding to changes in intracellular and extracellular environments is ubiquitous in living eukaryotic cells but remains a formidable task in synthetic systems. Here we report a two-level compartmentalization approach based on a thermo-responsive aqueous two-phase system (TR-ATPS) comprising poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) and dextran (DEX). Liquid membraneless compartments enriched in PNIPAM are phase-separated from the continuous DEX solution via liquid-liquid phase separation at 25 °C and shrink dramatically with small second-level compartments generated at the interface, resembling the structure of colloidosome, by increasing the temperature to 35 °C. The TR-ATPS can store biomolecules, program the spatial distribution of enzymes, and accelerate the overall biochemical reaction efficiency by nearly 7-fold. The TR-ATPS inspires on-demand, stimulus-triggered spatiotemporal enrichment of biomolecules via two-level compartmentalization, creating opportunities in synthetic biology and biochemical engineering.

Published in Nature Communications

ISSN: 2041-1723 (Online)
Publisher: Nature Portfolio
Country of publisher: United Kingdom
LCC subjects: Science
Website: https://www.nature.com/ncomms/

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