Compartmentalized structures act as catalytic hubs, facilitating prebiotic chemical transformations without enzymes. However, emulating their dynamic behavior and catalytic activity with temporal precision in artificial systems poses a formidable challenge. This study presents the development of supramolecular compartmentalized structures that exhibit controlled growth, differentiation, and transient catalytic activity. Small nanoassemblies of amphiphiles expand into larger suprasomal structures through host-guest interactions with β-cyclodextrin (β-CD). The Zn2 + triggers a structural transition to cube-like compartments, which promote esterase-like activity, releasing the active ion transporter, clioquinol (CQ), from clioquinol ester (CQE). Incorporation of ester derivatives of EDTA (EDTAE), as negative feedback regulators, reverses compartmentalization and deactivates catalysis, imparting temporal control and transient catalytic properties. This design strategy provides a foundation for self-regulating, compartmentalized structures that simulate life-like behavior, advancing the development of biomimetic artificial cells.
Prusty et al. (Wed,) studied this question.