Giant Vesicles as Micro-Sized Enzymatic Reactors: Perspectives and Recent Experimental Advancements

Synthetic cells can be constructed by encapsulating an appropriate set of molecules inside lipid vesicles (liposomes). They can be used as primitive cell model or for biotechnological applications. At these aims, it is important to develop experimental methods for liposome formation, solute encapsulation, and solute exchange across the lipid membrane. Here we focus on (i) the encapsulation of a polymer-enzyme (peroxidase) conjugate inside giant vesicles (GVs) prepared from phospholipids, and its reaction with Amplex Red reagent; and (ii) on the formation of amphotericin B pores allowing the entrance of cobalt ions inside calcein-containing vesicles, with the aim of developing experimental methods for constructing cell-like systems capable of processing chemicals. The presented approach is also shortly discussed from the viewpoint of chemical computing.