美国斯坦福大学Karl Deisseroth研究组利用生物材料在活细胞、组织和动物中进行遗传靶向化学组装。该研究于2020年3月20日发表于《科学》。

通过整合工程酶靶向技术和聚合物化学，研究人员从遗传学上指导特定的活神经元，以指导质膜上电功能（导电或绝缘）聚合物的化学合成。

电生理和行为分析证实，功能高分子经过合理设计，以基因为靶标的组装后，不仅保留了神经元的生存能力，而且还实现了对自由活动动物的膜特性的重塑和特定细胞类型的行为调节。这种方法可以在活系统中创建各种复杂的功能性结构和材料。

据悉，多细胞生物系统（例如大脑）的结构和功能复杂性超出了人类设计或组装能力的范围。如果将其视为特定化学的解剖学定义的区室，并利用生物学来组装复杂的功能结构，则可以招募活生物体中的细胞来构建合成材料或结构。

附：英文原文

Title: Genetically targeted chemical assembly of functional materials in living cells, tissues, and animals

Author: Jia Liu, Yoon Seok Kim, Claire E. Richardson, Ariane Tom, Charu Ramakrishnan, Fikri Birey, Toru Katsumata, Shucheng Chen, Cheng Wang, Xiao Wang, Lydia-Marie Joubert, Yuenwen Jiang, Huiliang Wang, Lief E. Fenno, Jeffrey B.-H. Tok, Sergiu P. Paca, Kang Shen, Zhenan Bao, Karl Deisseroth

Issue&Volume: 2020/03/20

Abstract: Abstract

The structural and functional complexity of multicellular biological systems, such as the brain, are beyond the reach of human design or assembly capabilities. Cells in living organisms may be recruited to construct synthetic materials or structures if treated as anatomically defined compartments for specific chemistry, harnessing biology for the assembly of complex functional structures. By integrating engineered-enzyme targeting and polymer chemistry, we genetically instructed specific living neurons to guide chemical synthesis of electrically functional (conductive or insulating) polymers at the plasma membrane. Electrophysiological and behavioral analyses confirmed that rationally designed, genetically targeted assembly of functional polymers not only preserved neuronal viability but also achieved remodeling of membrane properties and modulated cell type–specific behaviors in freely moving animals. This approach may enable the creation of diverse, complex, and functional structures and materials within living systems.

DOI: 10.1126/science.aay4866

Source: https://science.sciencemag.org/content/367/6484/1372