{
  "abstract": "Chemical communication between artificial cells (ACs) is crucial for the collective behavior in synthetic prototissues. Recently synthesized ACs show pH-responsive and pH-modifying behavior by an enzymatic chemical reaction. However, the chemical interplay between pH-responsive ACs is theoretically not well studied. Here, we report a simple two-variable model for such ACs that couples substrate conversion, enzyme activity, membrane permeability, and pH-buffering. We calibrate the model to recent experiments of glucose oxidase- and urease-loaded ACs, and reproduce a protection mechanism against external acid or base perturbations. Building on the derived models we predict the dynamics of AC-mixtures of the two antagonistic ACs. Depending on composition and initial pH, the mixtures exhibit a stable low-pH state, a stable high-pH state, or bistability, providing a minimal route to hysteretic pH control in AC-communities. On longer time scales, fuel depletion leads to transient states with programmable pH and lifetime. Our results demonstrate the potential of chemical communication in AC-systems and provide testable design rules for future experiments.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "Applied Theoretical Physics-Computational Physics, Physikalisches Institut, Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg, D-79104Freiburg, Germany.",
    "Cluster of Excellence livMatS @ FIT - Freiburg Center for Interactive Materials and Bioinspired Technologies, Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg, D-79110Freiburg, Germany."
  ],
  "article_type": "research article",
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 2,
  "authors": [
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Nils Göth",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-0051-2845"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0,
        1
      ],
      "name": "Joachim Dzubiella",
      "orcid": "0000-0001-6751-1487"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/63akq401gsr81.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.1021/acs.jpcb.6c03926",
  "fulltext_url": "https://europepmc.org/articles/PMC13637022",
  "id": "63akq401gsr81",
  "issns": [
    "1520-6106",
    "1520-5207"
  ],
  "landing_url": "https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42917190",
  "language": "eng",
  "licence": "CC-BY",
  "licence_label": "CC BY",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "openalex",
      "3104|Micro and Nano Robotics"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7213928746",
  "pdf_url": "https://europepmc.org/articles/PMC13637022?pdf=render",
  "pmcid": "PMC13637022",
  "pmid": "42917190",
  "published": "2026-10-01",
  "publisher": null,
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/63akq401gsr81.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:20:36Z",
      "native_id": "MED:42917190",
      "source": "europepmc",
      "url": "https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42917190"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "physics",
      "origin": "openalex:3104|Micro and Nano Robotics",
      "subfield": "condensed-matter"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Chemical Feedback and Collective pH-Dynamics in Enzyme-Powered Artificial Cells.",
  "title_text": "Chemical Feedback and Collective pH-Dynamics in Enzyme-Powered Artificial Cells.",
  "type": "peer-reviewed",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:20:36Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/63akq401gsr81",
  "venue": "The journal of physical chemistry. B",
  "versions": []
}