Functional nanocarriers as compartments for artificial cells

Abstract

This work presents an exploratory study towards a functional compartment usable for bottom up approach of a minimal cell. Two projects deal with permeable nanocontainers, either redoxresponsive nanocapsules or permeable polymersomes. The two remaining projects deal with functional nanocontainers, i.e. polymersomes with different surface functionalisations and polymersomes from biodegradable poly(phosphoesters).

In conclusion, different nanocarriers bearing either chemical functionalities or responsiveness were developed. In synthetic biology, such containers are needed to separate and protect their cargo and mimic certain cell functions. The functionality introduces a communication path to the outside, e.g. through redox-responsiveness or adhesion. Functional nanocarriers serve as a platform to develop interacting systems of increasing complexity until at some point, those complex systems resemble a minimal cell.