The design of compartmentalized colloidsthat exhibit biomimeticproperties is providing model systems for developing synthetic cell-likeentities (protocells). Inspired by the cell walls in plant cells,we developed a method to prepare membranized coacervates as protocellmodels by coating membraneless liquid-like microdroplets with a protectivelayer of rigid polysaccharides. Membranization not only endowed colloidalstability and prevented aggregation and coalescence but also facilitatedselective biomolecule sequestration and chemical exchange across themembrane. The polysaccharide wall surrounding coacervate protocellsacted as a stimuli-responsive structural barrier that enabled enzyme-triggeredmembrane lysis to initiate internalization and killing of Escherichia coli. The membranized coacervates werecapable of spatial organization into structured tissue-like protocellassemblages, offering a means to mimic metabolism and cell-to-cellcommunication. We envision that surface engineering of protocellsas developed in this work generates a platform for constructing advancedsynthetic cell mimetics and sophisticated cell-like behaviors.
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