Enzymatically triggered rupture of polymersomes

Polymersomes are robust vesicles made from amphiphilic block co-polymers. Large populations of uniform giant polymersomes with defined, entrapped species can be made by templating of double-emulsions using microfluidics. In the present study, a series of two enzymatic reactions, one inside and the other outside of the polymersome, were designed to induce rupture of polymersomes. We measured how the kinetics of rupture were affected by altering enzyme concentration. These results suggest that protocells with entrapped enzymes can be engineered to secrete contents on cue. Polymersomes are robust vesicles made from di-block co-polymers. We have engineered a two step enzymatic cascade to trigger the release of contents from polymersomes, in which extravesicular glucose oxidase makes hydrogen peroxide, when then penetrates the membrane and is converted by entrapped catalase to oxygen, leading to vesicle failure.