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primary topic: Genetic Encoding of Function: From DNA Segregation to Synthetic Cytoskeletons

Genetic Encoding of Function: From DNA Segregation to Synthetic Cytoskeletons
type: Article
abstract: Synthetic cells provide a powerful platform to explore the origins and principles of life, and hold promise for transformative applications in biotechnology. Among life’s features, evolvability is the central landmark to be engineered for life to emerge from non-living matter. However, there is currently no general strategy for the programmable segregation of genetic material, and structural components like cytoskeletons are rarely expressed in situ, limiting their evolvability. In the first part, I develop a DNA-based module for programmable spatial segregation of information. Using DNA motifs that undergo liquid-liquid phase separation, DNA droplets can be induced to split via enzymatic or light triggers. When confined in synthetic compartments, their segregation kinetics and spatial behavior become sequence- and environment-dependent. A lattice-based theoretical model reproduces key features of the dynamics and helps explain how confinement influences segregation. In the second part, I demonstrate the in situ expression of RNA origami cytoskeletons inside lipid vesicles. These co-transcriptionally folded structures self-assemble into nanotubes that bind and deform membranes. Sequence mutations modulate stiffness and morphology of the nanotubes, as shown experimentally and supported by coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations that link sequence-level changes to mechanical responses. By implementing nucleic acid nanostructures which give rise to microscale phenotypes, these systems create minimal genotype–phenotype couplings. This enables genetically encoded behaviors that are more readily selectable and thus more compatible with evolution.
date: 2025
author list: authors
type: EPrint
type: DoctoralThesisEPrint
is part of: repository
has document: Genetic Encoding of Function: From DNA Segregation to Synthetic Cytoskeletons (PDF)
has document: Genetic Encoding of Function: From DNA Segregation to Synthetic Cytoskeletons (Other)
subject: 570 Biowissenschaften, Biologie
subject: 620 Ingenieurwissenschaften
subject: 660 Technische Chemie

Genetic Encoding of Function: From DNA Segregation to Synthetic Cytoskeletons (PDF)
type: Document
has file: tran_thesis_full.pdf
has part: tran_thesis_full.pdf

Mai Phuong Tran
type: Person
given name: Mai Phuong
family name: Tran

Genetic Encoding of Function: From DNA Segregation to Synthetic Cytoskeletons (Other)
type: Document
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Genetic Encoding of Function: From DNA Segregation to Synthetic Cytoskeletons (Other)
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Genetic Encoding of Function: From DNA Segregation to Synthetic Cytoskeletons (Other)
type: Document
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Genetic Encoding of Function: From DNA Segregation to Synthetic Cytoskeletons (Other)
type: Document
is version of: Genetic Encoding of Function: From DNA Segregation to Synthetic Cytoskeletons (PDF)
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Genetic Encoding of Function: From DNA Segregation to Synthetic Cytoskeletons (Other)
type: Document
is version of: Genetic Encoding of Function: From DNA Segregation to Synthetic Cytoskeletons (PDF)
is volatile version of: Genetic Encoding of Function: From DNA Segregation to Synthetic Cytoskeletons (PDF)
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HTML Summary of #37472 Genetic Encoding of Function: From DNA Segregation to Synthetic Cytoskeletons
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primary topic: Genetic Encoding of Function: From DNA Segregation to Synthetic Cytoskeletons

570 Biowissenschaften, Biologie
type: Concept
preferred label: 570 Life sciences @en

620 Ingenieurwissenschaften
type: Concept
preferred label: 620 Engineering and allied operations @en

660 Technische Chemie
type: Concept
preferred label: 660 Chemical engineering @en