Salt mediated actuation of membranized coacervate droplets for regulation of enzymatic reactions
Abstract
Regulation of transport is an essential design element for controlling biological networks within living cells. Its implementation within coacervate microdroplets, where reaction kinetics are modulated, would enable the design of adaptive cell-like compartments. Yet, the lack of a membrane limits the potential of coacervate microdroplets as artificial cells. Herein, we present a simple strategy to stabilize coacervate microdroplets via interfacial formation of solid polyelectrolyte complexes mediated by addition of a strong polyelectrolyte. Salt addition triggers network swelling within the membranized coacervate droplets, while salt removal induces deswelling. Several cycles of salt-mediated chemomechanical actuation can be achieved by alternating salt and water flows. The actuating droplets maintain a loosely cross-linked coacervate interior, allowing faster mass transport compared to non-actuating droplets, thereby doubling the rate of enzymatic reactions hosted within. Our work introduces an alternate mechanism for controlling reaction kinetics in coacervates and expands the toolbox for protometabolic regulation within artificial cells.
Related
- Metal ions affect abiotic sugar oligomerization reactions
- Temperature-resolved sensitivities of 56Ni production to helium-burning reactions in pair-instability supernovae
- The diverse effects of side reactions on the persistence of autocatalytic cycles.
- Effects of Competing Reactions on 59Cu and 63Ga on Abundance Distributions in Type I X-Ray Bursts
- The VariableTNG project: Mass-dependent regulation of galaxy morphology by baryonic feedback
BibTeX
@article{sharma2026salt,
title = {{Salt mediated actuation of membranized coacervate droplets for regulation of enzymatic reactions}},
author = {Preeti Sharma and Nicolas Martin and B. V. V. S. Pavan Kumar},
journal = {Nature Communications},
year = {2026},
month = sep,
doi = {10.1038/s41467-026-78109-4},
url = {https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-026-78109-4},
note = {CC BY-NC-ND 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Salt mediated actuation of membranized coacervate droplets for regulation of enzymatic reactions
AU - Preeti Sharma
AU - Nicolas Martin
AU - B. V. V. S. Pavan Kumar
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/09/30
JO - Nature Communications
DO - 10.1038/s41467-026-78109-4
UR - https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-026-78109-4
AB - Regulation of transport is an essential design element for controlling biological networks within living cells. Its implementation within coacervate microdroplets, where reaction kinetics are modulated, would enable the design of adaptive cell-like compartments. Yet, the lack of a membrane limits the potential of coacervate microdroplets as artificial cells. Herein, we present a simple strategy to stabilize coacervate microdroplets via interfacial formation of solid polyelectrolyte complexes mediated by addition of a strong polyelectrolyte. Salt addition triggers network swelling within the membranized coacervate droplets, while salt removal induces deswelling. Several cycles of salt-mediated chemomechanical actuation can be achieved by alternating salt and water flows. The actuating droplets maintain a loosely cross-linked coacervate interior, allowing faster mass transport compared to non-actuating droplets, thereby doubling the rate of enzymatic reactions hosted within. Our work introduces an alternate mechanism for controlling reaction kinetics in coacervates and expands the toolbox for protometabolic regulation within artificial cells.
SN - 2041-1723
ER -