Fig. 2: Spatiotemporal evolution of the final product in gel matrix.

a Snapshot of the experimental petridish with dimension of the experimentally measured area (square with solid line) and hole with dashed square. b Schematic representation of the points taken to average out the value of each zone (shown by the red highlighted parts). c A snapshot of the experimental data inside plate reader to show the hole and other experimental zone. Measurements were taken in all directions. To avoid the error due to angular contribution, the average values of the four points (as shown in cross pattern in panel b) at the same distance were calculated and extrapolated to represent the entire circumference as circle (indicated by showing dotted circle to represent zone 1 (Z1), zone 4 (Z4) and zone 8 (Z8) in panel c). d Spatiotemporal pattern of product (CNP) formation when 40 µl of aqueous solution of 5 mM ATP and 50 mM urea (top panel) and 5 mM ATP + 50 mM NH₄HCO₃ (bottom panel) were injected at the central zone. The color map showed the CNP concentration at each zone. Herein, concentrations above 400 µM were shown as deep red and below 100 µM as deep blue. e The maximum product-forming zone away from the source at different time points was plotted for the injection of urea (25 mM) + ATP (5 mM), urea (50 mM) + ATP (5 mM), and NH₄HCO₃ (50 mM) + ATP (5 mM). The color of each symbol depicts the concentration range as shown in the color map (below 400 µM as deep blue and 500 µM as deep red). f Maximum product forming zone away from the source at different time points was plotted for injection of urea (25 mM) + ATP (2.5 mM) and urea (10 mM) + ATP (2.5 mM). The color of each symbol depicts the concentration range as shown in the color map. Data are presented as mean ± SD (where n  =  8). Source data are provided as a source data file.