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Many cellular functions in the human body are controlled by biological droplets called liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) droplets. These droplets, made of soft biological materials, exist inside living cells but are not enclosed by membranes like most cell structures.

Because they lack membranes, LLPS droplets can adapt quickly to what the cell needs. They can move, divide, and change their structure or contents. This flexibility is essential for various functions, such as the transcription of ribosomal RNA (rRNA) in the nucleolus, enabling sol-gel transitions in which materials shift between fluid-like and gel-like states, and controlling chemical reactions within the cells.

Inspired by these unique properties, scientists have developed synthetic LLPS droplets to mimic their biological counterparts. While significant progress has been made in controlling the division and movement of synthetic droplets, precise control over the timing of these processes has remained a challenge.

A study published in the journal Nature Communications on August 27, 2024, marks a significant breakthrough in this field. Researchers from Tokyo Institute of Technology (Tokyo Tech), Japan, developed a method to precisely control the timing of division in synthetic DNA droplets, which mimic biological LLPS droplets. They achieved this by designing a time-delay circuit, where the division of droplets is regulated by a combination of inhibitor RNAs and an enzyme, Ribonuclease H (RNase H).

Professor Masahiro Takinoue, the senior author of the study explains, "We demonstrate the timing-controlled division dynamics of DNA droplet-based artificial cells by coupling them with chemical reactions exhibiting a transient non-equilibrium relaxation process, resulting in the pathway control of artificial cell division."

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