Fig. 1: Optimizing the lipid composition for light-interacting synthetic cells.
From: Synthetic cells with self-activating optogenetic proteins communicate with natural cells
a Illustration of a protein producing synthetic cell. b The effect of the lipid membrane composition on blue light absorbance in liposomes. Data is expressed as the mean ± standard deviation (n = 3 independent samples). Nested two-tailed t-test P values; **p = 0.0079, **p = 0.0058, **p = 0.0055 for comparisons of POPC vs. DOPC, DPPC and HSPC, respectively. c Size distribution of synthetic cells with 1:1 (w/w) POPC:cholesterol membrane composition. Data is expressed as mean of n = 3 independent samples. d Morphology of 1:1 (w/w) POPC:cholesterol synthetic cells imaged with cryogenic scanning electron microscopy (cryo-SEM). e The percentage of active synthetic cells measured using imaging flow cytometry of GFP-expressing synthetic cells (n = 331 synthetic cells without DNA and n = 308 synthetic cells with GFP DNA). Frequency is normalized to the total number of cells in each sample. f Illustration of a linear DNA oligonucleotide, encapsulated in a synthetic cell or free in solution, exposed to UV radiation. Formation of pyrimidine dimers is detected using PCR amplification. g Gel electrophoresis of the amplified PCR product of linear DNA after exposure to UV radiation with and without encapsulation in synthetic cells. Lane 1: free DNA exposed to UV. Lane 2: encapsulated DNA exposed to UV. Lane 3: no DNA control. Lane 4: untreated DNA control. This experiment was reproduced n = 3 times. Source data are provided as a Source Data file.
