Signal-processing and adaptive prototissue formation in metabolic DNA protocells

Samanta A, Hörner M, Liu W, Weber W, Walther A.

Nat Commun. 2022; doi: 10.1038/s41467-022-31632-6.

Herein, we report on all-DNA protocells composed of a liquid DNA interior and a hydrogel-like shell, harboring a catalytically active DNAzyme, that converts DNA signals into functional metabolites that lead to downstream adaptation processes via site-selective strand displacement reactions.