A Secretory Artificial Cell for Exocytosis

Conference poster, 2013

The complexity of exocytosis has left the molecular details of the process unclear. We present a minimal, artificial secretory cell designed for amperometric studies of release of signalling molecules through the fusion pore of single vesicles. In replacement of SNARE-proteins, the cell model has been equipped with an analog composed of complimentary DNA constructs, one on the vesicle and one on the target membrane. The DNA constructs hybridize in a zipper-like fashion bringing about docking of the vesicles and following the addition of Ca2+, fusion of the vesicles is completed. Exocytotic events recorded from the artificial cell closely approximate exocytosis in live cells. The results together with simulations of vesicular release demonstrate that the lipid-based fusion pore initially retains stability and limits diffusion of the secreted molecules.