Search results for "Systems Chemistry"
showing 3 items of 3 documents
Molecular Diversity Required for the Formation of Autocatalytic Sets
2019
Systems chemistry deals with the design and study of complex chemical systems. However, such systems are often difficult to investigate experimentally. We provide an example of how theoretical and simulation-based studies can provide useful insights into the properties and dynamics of complex chemical systems, in particular of autocatalytic sets. We investigate the issue of the required molecular diversity for autocatalytic sets to exist in random polymer libraries. Given a fixed probability that an arbitrary polymer catalyzes the formation of other polymers, we calculate this required molecular diversity theoretically for two particular models of chemical reaction systems, and then verify …
pH Feedback Lifecycles Programmed by Enzymatic Logic Gates Using Common Foods as Fuels
2021
Abstract Artificial temporal signaling systems, which mimic living out‐of‐equilibrium conditions, have made large progress. However, systems programmed by enzymatic reaction networks in multicomponent and unknown environments, and using biocompatible components remain a challenge. Herein, we demonstrate an approach to program temporal pH signals by enzymatic logic gates. They are realized by an enzymatic disaccharide‐to‐monosaccharide‐to‐sugar acid reaction cascade catalyzed by two metabolic chains: invertase‐glucose oxidase and β‐galactosidase‐glucose oxidase, respectively. Lifetimes of the transient pH signal can be programmed from less than 15 min to more than 1 day. We study enzymatic k…
Feedback and Communication in Active Hydrogel Spheres with pH Fronts: Facile Approaches to Grow Soft Hydrogel Structures
2021
Abstract Compartmentalized reaction networks regulating signal processing, communication and pattern formation are central to living systems. Towards achieving life‐like materials, we compartmentalized urea‐urease and more complex urea‐urease/ester‐esterase pH‐feedback reaction networks into hydrogel spheres and investigate how fuel‐driven pH fronts can be sent out from these spheres and regulated by internal reaction networks. Membrane characteristics are installed by covering urease spheres with responsive hydrogel shells. We then encapsulate the two networks (urea‐urease and ester‐esterase) separately into different hydrogel spheres to devise communication, pattern formation and attracti…