Extended Data Fig. 9: Programmable assembly through mCherry–LaM4 interactions.
a, Design of a recombinase-based adhesion circuit in CHO-K1 cells. Bxb1-mediated recombination generates two differentiated populations expressing either mCherry–ICAM1 or LaM4–ICAM1, enabling selective surface binding through mCherry–LaM4 interactions. b, Circuit validation and aggregation assay. In the absence of inducers (1 μg mL−1 doxycycline and 0.1 mM TMP), only TagBFP fluorescence is observed, indicating tight control. Induction yields membrane-localized mCherry expression. Dissociated cells (100 per well) seeded into ultra-low-attachment plates aggregate within two hours, with interaction heat maps showing preferential contacts between differentiated cell types (mean ± s.d., n = 3 biological replicates). c,d, Aggregation dynamics of 500 pre-induced cells over 96 h demonstrate progressive coalescence into structured clusters. e,f, In situ induction of 500 founder cells produces mixed aggregates de novo over 96 h, recapitulating the behaviour of pre-induced populations. Images are representative of three independent biological experiments.
