The cytoskeleton is an essential component of a cell. It controls the cell shape, establishes the internal organization, and performs vital biological functions. Building synthetic cytoskeletons that mimic key features of their natural counterparts delineates a crucial step towards synthetic cells assembled from the bottom up. To this end, DNA nanotechnology represents one of the most promising routes, given the inherent sequence specificity, addressability and programmability of DNA. Here we demonstrate functional DNA-based cytoskeletons operating in microfluidic cell-sized compartments. The synthetic cytoskeletons consist of DNA tiles self-assembled into filament networks. These filaments can be rationally designed and controlled to imitate features of natural cytoskeletons, including reversible assembly and ATP-triggered polymerization, and we also explore their potential for guided vesicle transport in cell-sized confinement. Also, they possess engineerable characteristics, including assembly and disassembly powered by DNA hybridization or aptamer-target interactions and autonomous transport of gold nanoparticles. This work underpins DNA nanotechnology as a key player in building synthetic cells.
Download full-text PDF |
Source |
|---|---|
| http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9359917 | PMC |
| http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41557-022-00945-w | DOI Listing |
Publication Analysis
Top Keywords
Similar Publications
Enhancing Flexible Perovskite Photovoltaic Cells and Modules Through Light-Trapping and Light-Shifting Strategies.
Small Methods
January 2025
Institute of New Energy Technology, College of Physics & Optoelectronic Engineering, Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510632, China.
Flexible perovskite photovoltaic devices are typically constructed on flexible polyethylene naphthalate (PEN) substrates, which exhibit near-ultraviolet absorption and high visible-light reflection, leading to significant optical losses. To address this issue, a reusable optical-management sticker tailored for flexible substrates has been proposed in this work. The sticker incorporates a light-shifting material that converts near-ultraviolet light into visible light, enabling photoelectric conversion of near-ultraviolet light.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEngineered extracellular vesicles as "supply vehicles" to alleviate type 1 diabetes.
Extracell Vesicles Circ Nucl Acids
November 2024
The Tenth Affiliated Hospital, Southern Medical University (Dongguan People's Hospital), Dongguan 523059, Guangdong, China.
Recent findings have indicated that the deficiency of inhibitory programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1) and galectin-9 (Gal-9) in pancreatic β-cells is associated with the progression of type 1 diabetes (T1D). This suggests that exogenous PD-L1 and Gal-9 may have promising potential as therapeutics for the treatment of T1D. In light of these reports, a recent work investigated the potential of artificial extracellular vesicles (aEVs) with the presentation of PD-L1 and Gal-9 ligands (PD-L1-Gal-9 aEVs) as a treatment for T1D, with the findings published in .
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEnhancing NK cell-mediated tumor killing of B7-H6 cells with bispecific antibodies targeting allosteric sites of NKp30.
Mol Ther Oncol
March 2025
Early Protein Supply and Characterization, Merck Healthcare KGaA, 64293 Darmstadt, Germany.
In this work, we report the discovery and engineering of allosteric variable domains of the heavy chain (VHHs) derived from camelid immunization targeting NKp30, an activating receptor on natural killer (NK) cells. The aim was to enhance NK cell-mediated killing capacities by identifying VHHs that do not compete with the natural ligand of NKp30:B7-H6, thereby maximizing the recognition of B7-H6 tumor cells. By relying on the DuoBody technology, bispecific therapeutic antibodies were engineered, creating a panel of bispecific antibodies against NKp30xEGFR (cetuximab moiety) or NKp30xHER2 (trastuzumab moiety), called natural killer cell engagers (NKCEs).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFDirected evolution of an orthogonal transcription engine for programmable gene expression in eukaryotes.
iScience
January 2025
Laboratory of Antibody Discovery and Accelerated Protein Therapeutics, Center for Infectious Diseases, Houston Methodist Research Institute and Department of Pathology and Genomic Medicine, Houston Methodist Hospital, Houston, TX, USA.
T7 RNA polymerase (RNAP) has enabled orthogonal control of gene expression and recombinant protein production across diverse prokaryotic host chassis organisms for decades. However, the absence of 5' methyl guanosine caps on T7 RNAP-derived transcripts has severely limited its utility and widespread adoption in eukaryotic systems. To address this shortcoming, we evolved a fusion enzyme combining T7 RNAP with the single subunit capping enzyme from African swine fever virus using .
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMitoregulin self-associates to form likely homo-oligomeric pore-like complexes.
iScience
January 2025
Department of Internal Medicine, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA.
We and others previously found that a misannotated long noncoding RNA encodes for a conserved mitochondrial transmembrane microprotein named Mitoregulin (Mtln). Beyond an established role for Mtln in lipid metabolism, Mtln has been shown to broadly influence mitochondria, boosting respiratory efficiency and Ca retention capacity, while lowering ROS, yet the underlying mechanisms remain unresolved. Prior studies have identified possible Mtln protein interaction partners; however, a lack of consensus persists, and no claims have been made about Mtln's structure.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWant AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?
Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!