Research of the Wegner Group
Spatiotemproal control in minimal synthetic cells: Cell migration, prototissue assembly, proetein patterns, cell to cell communication.
The interests of the Wegner Group within MaxSynBio include:
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Regulating protein activity through the light controlled localization
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The self-assembly and self-sorting of minimal synthetic cells into prototissues
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Mimicking cell migration in minimal synthetic systems
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Photoregulationof cell- cell communication
With the help of photoswitchableproteininteractions, we seek to control the adhesive interactions of synthetic minimal cells and their self-assembly and self-sorting by using visible light. Likewise, these light controlled interactions allowed us to mimic the dynamic and spatiotemporally controlled asymmetry in cell adhesions observed in a migrating cell to reproduce this behaviour in minimal synthetic cells. The unique properties of light controlled interactions,allow us to regulate communication between synthetic cells, to trigger dynamic events such as uptake, and fusion, as well as to form consortia of synthetic cells, where different members contribute diverse function.
