Construction of intermolecular communication system on Cerasome as an organic-inorganic nanohybrid

A molecular communication system exhibiting signal transduction behavior was constructed on Cerasome, which is an organic-inorganic hybrid vesicle used as a biomembrane model. The Cerasome formed with a synthetic peptide lipid bearing a triethoxysilyl and a quaternary ammonium group on the head moiety showed extremely high morphological stability against a cationic surfactant. A molecular device, was needed to control enzymatic activity on the Cerasome through functional connection of molecular recognition by a membrane-binding artificial receptor and signal amplification by the enzyme. Suchudevice was prepared and its supramolecular functions were evaluated. Marked signal transduction behavior was observed in the Cerasome system containing a steroidal receptor with an amino group, pyridoxal 5'-phosphate as an external signal, Cu(II) ion as a mediator species, and L-lactate dehydrogenase as an amplifier of chemical signals.