Self-assembly of microcapsules regulated via the repressilator signaling network

Soft Matter
Henry ShumAnna C Balazs

Abstract

One of the intriguing challenges in designing active matter is devising systems that not only self-organize, but also exhibit self-regulation. Inspired by biological regulatory networks, we design a collection of self-organizing, self-regulating microcapsules that move in response to self-generated chemical signals. Three microcapsules act as localized sources of distinct chemicals that diffuse through surrounding fluid. Production rates are modulated by the "repressilator" regulatory network motif: each chemical species represses the production of the next in a cycle. Depending on the maximum production rates and capsule separation distances, we show that immobile capsules either exhibit steady or oscillatory chemical production. We then consider movement of the microcapsules over the substrate, induced by gradients in surface energy due to adsorbed chemicals. We numerically simulate this advection-diffusion-reaction system with solid-fluid interactions by combining lattice Boltzmann, immersed boundary and finite difference methods, and thereby, construct systems where the three capsules spontaneously assemble to form a close-packed triad. Chemical oscillations are shown to be critical to this assembly. By adjusting parameters...Continue Reading

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Citations

Feb 24, 2016·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·Isamar Ortiz-RiveraAnna C Balazs
Jul 29, 2015·Langmuir : the ACS Journal of Surfaces and Colloids·Victor V YashinAnna C Balazs
Jun 14, 2016·Chemical Society Reviews·Sławomir LachBartosz A Grzybowski
Jul 26, 2017·Langmuir : the ACS Journal of Surfaces and Colloids·Oleg E ShklyaevAnna C Balazs
Nov 28, 2017·Journal of Materials Chemistry. B, Materials for Biology and Medicine·Ross W Jaggers, Stefan A F Bon
Jun 27, 2019·Chemistry : a European Journal·Lukas Aufinger, Friedrich C Simmel
Jul 26, 2017·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·Henry Shum, Anna C Balazs
Aug 15, 2020·Frontiers in Chemistry·Oleg E ShklyaevAnna C Balazs
Jan 30, 2018·Langmuir : the ACS Journal of Surfaces and Colloids·Henry Shum, Anna C Balazs

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