NU 2022-162
INVENTORS
Neha P. Kamat*
Julius B. Lucks*
Margrethe Boyd
Walter M. Thavarajah
BACKGROUND
Cell-free systems allow biochemical processes traditionally performed by cells to be reproduced independent of cells in a cost-effective, distributable, and highly tunable manner. Specifically, cell-free biosensors have enabled detection of a wide range of targets with utility in medical, environmental, and manufacturing industries. However, one limitation of cell-free biosensors is their sensitivity to the reaction environment and sample composition, which often demands additional modification and preparation of the samples. Northwestern researchers developed a novel method to reintroduce features of cellular membranes to cell-free biosensors by encapsulating them in a double-layered lipid membrane. Transcriptionally regulated, cell-free riboswitches are encapsulated and utilized to detect fluoride by generation of fluorescent or colorimetric readouts. The encapsulation provides molecular containment, protects sensors from enzymatic degradation, and reduces the need for excessive sample preparation, allowing for fluoride detection in real-world samples. Additionally, compositions of the lipid membranes can be varied to modulate their permeability, and thereby sensitivity, of the encapsulated sensors to analytes, enabling a balance between selectivity and sensitivity. This invention is a cost- and time-effective method of detecting fluoride in real-world settings and enables the possibility of using cell-free platforms to detect other environmentally relevant small molecules.
IP STATUS
A US provisional application has been filed.
PUBLICATION
Boyd, M. A. et al. (2023) Robust and Tunable Performance of a cell-free biosensor encapsulated in lipid vesicles. Science Advances, 9, eadd6605.