Regulation of species metabolism in synthetic community systems by environmental pH oscillations

Shubin Li; Yingming Zhao; Shuqi Wu; Xiangxiang Zhang; Boyu Yang; Liangfei Tian; Xiaojun Han

doi:10.1038/s41467-023-43398-6

Regulation of species metabolism in synthetic community systems by environmental pH oscillations

Nat Commun. 2023 Nov 18;14(1):7507. doi: 10.1038/s41467-023-43398-6.

Authors

Shubin Li¹, Yingming Zhao¹, Shuqi Wu², Xiangxiang Zhang¹, Boyu Yang¹, Liangfei Tian³, Xiaojun Han⁴

Affiliations

¹ State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, 150001, China.
² Key Laboratory of Biomedical Engineering of Ministry of Education, Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Cardio-Cerebral Vascular Detection Technology and Medicinal Effectiveness Appraisal, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027, China.
³ Key Laboratory of Biomedical Engineering of Ministry of Education, Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Cardio-Cerebral Vascular Detection Technology and Medicinal Effectiveness Appraisal, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027, China. liangfei.tian@zju.edu.cn.
⁴ State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, 150001, China. hanxiaojun@hit.edu.cn.

Abstract

Constructing a synthetic community system helps scientist understand the complex interactions among species in a community and its environment. Herein, a two-species community is constructed with species A (artificial cells encapsulating pH-responsive molecules and sucrose) and species B (Saccharomyces cerevisiae), which causes the environment to exhibit pH oscillation behaviour due to the generation and dissipation of CO₂. In addition, a three-species community is constructed with species A' (artificial cells containing sucrose and G6P), species B, and species C (artificial cells containing NAD⁺ and G6PDH). The solution pH oscillation regulates the periodical release of G6P from species A'; G6P then enters species C to promote the metabolic reaction that converts NAD⁺ to NADH. The location of species A' and B determines the metabolism behaviour in species C in the spatially coded three-species communities with CA'B, CBA', and A'CB patterns. The proposed synthetic community system provides a foundation to construct a more complicated microecosystem.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Hydrogen-Ion Concentration
NAD*
Sucrose*

Substances

NAD
Sucrose