Self-assembled protein droplets as reaction platforms for biotechnology

Biotechnology uses enzymes to make chemical processes that are not possible through traditional chemistry. In nature, enzymes are often helped by a new type of structure in the cell. Some proteins self-assemble into µm-sized droplets that concentrate some molecules while excluding others. These droplets thus create a unique reaction environment, which can greatly enhance enzyme activity. Here, I propose to engineer self-organizing protein droplets to enhance enzymatic reactions inside microbial cell factories. We will tune protein droplets to absorb the enzymes’ substrates, which will likely improve both the efficiency and specificity of the reaction. This will allow us to use such droplets in enzyme biotechnology, and to understand how they regulate reactions in biology.