Synthetic Organelles

Enhancing catalytic productivity by synthetic compartmentalization

The schematic illustrates how synthetic BMC function in metabolic engineering to enhance catalytic productivity. 

The semipermeable shell allows a substrate to diffuse into the lumen that is then processed by enzyme A (pink). Potential toxic intermediates, an unstable molecule that requires fast processing or a metabolite that can be used by off-branching metabolic pathways is contained within the BMC shell. Enzyme B (purple) can be a promiscuous or slow enzyme, operating more efficiently when given only one specific substrate in high concentrations. The shell also can act to stabilize proteins by preventing proteolytic degradation and decouples the pathway from endogenous regulation by preventing inhibitors from accessing the encapsulated enzymes.