Inter‐Vesicle Signal Transduction Using a Photo‐Responsive Zinc Ionophore

Abstract

AbstractTransmission of chemical information between cells and across lipid bilayer membranes is of profound significance in many biological processes. The design of synthetic signalling systems is a critical step towards preparing artificial cells with collective behaviour. Here, we report the first example of a synthetic inter‐vesicle signalling system, in which diffusible chemical signals trigger transmembrane ion transport in a manner reminiscent of signalling pathways in biology. The system is derived from novel ortho‐nitrobenzyl and BODIPY photo‐caged ZnII transporters, in which cation transport is triggered by photo‐decaging with UV or red light, respectively. This decaging reaction can be used to trigger the release of the cationophores from a small population of sender vesicles. This in turn triggers the transport of ions across the membrane of a larger population of receiver vesicles, but not across the sender vesicle membrane, leading to overall inter‐vesicle signal transduction and amplification.