Thermally Driven Dynamic Behaviours in Polymeric Vesicles as Biomimetic Synthetic Cell Systems

Synthetic cells have emerged as a promising tool for understanding cellular processes and developing novel biotechnological applications. In this study, we engineer dynamic and biomimetic behaviours in polymersomes, aiming to create synthetic cells that mimic key biological functions. These vesicles exhibit a temperature-driven fusogenic property, enabling the transformation of nanoscale vesicles into microsized sponge-like polymeric droplets. These droplets, rich in membrane content, can act as synthetic cells analogues with the capability for controlled cargo release. Moreover, the thermoresponsive nature of our polymersomes makes them versatile components for the construction of lipid-based synthetic cells, allowing for controllable cargo release and dynamic organelle-like functionalities. We also demonstrate that the microscale polymer droplets possess biomimetic properties including contractility, a behaviour typically observed in biological systems. By modulating the temperature, it is possible to induce these contractile behaviours as well as other functions, including controlled fusion and efficient bacteria capture.