Synthetic syntrophy for adenine nucleotide cross-feeding between metabolically active nanoreactors.

Living systems depend on continuous energy input for growth, replication and information processing. Cells use membrane proteins as nanomachines to convert light or chemical energy of nutrients into other forms of energy, such as ion gradients or adenosine triphosphate (ATP). However, engineering sustained fuel supply and metabolic energy conversion in synthetic systems is challenging.

Programmable dynamic steady states in ATP-driven nonequilibrium DNA systems.

Inspired by the dynamics of the dissipative self-assembly of microtubules, chemically fueled synthetic systems with transient lifetimes are emerging for nonequilibrium materials design. However, realizing programmable or even adaptive structural dynamics has proven challenging because it requires synchronization of energy uptake and dissipation events within true steady states, which remains difficult to orthogonally control in supramolecular systems. Here, we demonstrate full synchronization of both events by ATP-fueled activation and dynamization of covalent DNA bonds via an enzymatic reaction network of concurrent ligation and cleavage.

Modular Design of Programmable Mechanofluorescent DNA Hydrogels.

Mechanosensing systems are ubiquitous in nature and control many functions from cell spreading to wound healing. Biologic systems typically rely on supramolecular transformations and secondary reporter systems to sense weak forces. By contrast, synthetic mechanosensitive materials often use covalent transformations of chromophores, serving both as force sensor and reporter, which hinders orthogonal engineering of their sensitivity, response and modularity.

Antagonistic Enzymes in a Biocatalytic pH Feedback System Program Autonomous DNA Hydrogel Life Cycles.

Enzymes regulate complex functions and active behavior in natural systems and have shown increasing prospect for developing self-regulating soft matter systems. Striving for advanced autonomous hydrogel materials with fully programmable, self-regulated life cycles, we combine two enzymes with an antagonistic pH-modulating effect in a feedback-controlled biocatalytic reaction network (BRN) and couple it to pH-responsive DNA hydrogels to realize hydrogel systems with distinct preprogrammable lag times and lifetimes in closed systems. The BRN enables precise and orthogonal internal temporal control of the "ON" and "OFF" switching times of the temporary gel state by modulation of programmable, nonlinear pH changes.

Celebrating Soft Matter's 10th Anniversary: Approaches to program the time domain of self-assemblies.

Self-regulating reconfigurable soft matter systems are of great interest for creating adaptive and active material properties. Such complex functionalities emerge from non-linear and interactive behavior in space and time as demonstrated by a plethora of dynamic, self-organizing biological structures (e.g.