EngBio Forum: Synthetic Cells – St Catharine's College, Cambridge, Mon 10 Nov 2025 - Engineering Biology: Synthetic Cells Registration is now open for our next Engineering Biology Forum on Monday 10 N...

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Biological cells use cations as signaling messengers to regulate a variety of responses. Linking cations to the functionality of synthetic membranes is thus crucial to engineering advanced biomimetic agents such as synthetic cells. Here, we introduce bioinspired DNA-based receptors that exploit noncanonical G-quadruplexes for cation-actuated structural and functional responses in synthetic lipid membranes. Membrane confinement grants cation-dependent control over receptor assembly and, when supplemented with hemin cofactors, their peroxidase DNAzyme activity. Cation-mediated control extends to receptor lateral distribution to localize DNA-based catalysis within phase-separated membrane domains of model synthetic cells, imitating the localization of multimeric membrane complexes to signaling hubs in living cells. Our modular strategy paves the way for engineering from the bottom-up cation-responsive pathways for sensing, signaling, and communication in synthetic cellular systems.

The modular, programmable system of DNA nanostructures developed provides programmatic control over multiphase condensate behavior, enabling mapping onto a predictive Flory-Huggins model. This combin...

PhD Project - Engineering of dynamic Synthetic Cells at Imperial College London, listed on FindAPhD.com

Methods for creating large DNA assemblies with low cost and enhanced structural control are of interest. Here, the authors report moDON (modular DNA origami nanostructure) that combines two approaches...

Are you a creative and resourceful researcher looking for your next challenge? Do you have a background in protein engineering and modification? Would you like to be part of an international multidisc...

Applications are now open. The Leverhulme Centre for Life in the Universe and the University of Cambridge are committed to widening participation in postgraduate students at the University of Cambridg...

PhD Project - EASTBIO-Investigating phosphoinositide acyl chain composition as a novel regulator of T cell signalling during ageing at University of Edinburgh, listed on FindAPhD.com

Transcriptional condensates, which are formed through dynamic multivalent interactions between proteins, RNA and chromatin, regulate transcription by compartmentalizing its machinery in the crowded nu...

Controlling RNA and protein condensation is helpful in synthetic biology. Here the authors show programmable assembly of synthetic RNA nanostructures into designer membrane-less organelles that select...