Proofreading mechanism for colloidal self-assembly

Designing components that can robustly self-assemble into structures with biological complexity is a grand challenge for material science. Proofreading and error correction is required to improve assembly yield beyond equilibrium limits, using energy to avoid kinetic traps in the energy landscape. H...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Qian-Ze Zhu, Chrisy Xiyu Du, Ella M. King, Michael P. Brenner
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: American Physical Society 2024-12-01
Series:Physical Review Research
Online Access:http://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevResearch.6.L042057
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850257931082137600
author Qian-Ze Zhu
Chrisy Xiyu Du
Ella M. King
Michael P. Brenner
author_facet Qian-Ze Zhu
Chrisy Xiyu Du
Ella M. King
Michael P. Brenner
author_sort Qian-Ze Zhu
collection DOAJ
description Designing components that can robustly self-assemble into structures with biological complexity is a grand challenge for material science. Proofreading and error correction is required to improve assembly yield beyond equilibrium limits, using energy to avoid kinetic traps in the energy landscape. Here, we introduce an explicit two-staged proofreading scheme for patchy particle colloidal assemblies that substantially improves assembly yield and robustness. The first stage implements local rules whereby particles increase their binding strengths when they detect a local environment corresponding to a desired target. The second stage corrects remaining errors, adding a reverse pathway inspired by kinetic proofreading. The scheme shows significant yield improvements, eliminating kinetic traps, giving a much broader temperature range with high yield. Additionally, the scheme is robust against quenched disorder in the components. Our findings illuminate a pathway for advancing the programmable design of synthetic living materials, potentially fostering the synthesis of novel biological materials and functional behaviors.
format Article
id doaj-art-ea8718c6b52f401781c8ace34ef79411
institution OA Journals
issn 2643-1564
language English
publishDate 2024-12-01
publisher American Physical Society
record_format Article
series Physical Review Research
spelling doaj-art-ea8718c6b52f401781c8ace34ef794112025-08-20T01:56:17ZengAmerican Physical SocietyPhysical Review Research2643-15642024-12-0164L04205710.1103/PhysRevResearch.6.L042057Proofreading mechanism for colloidal self-assemblyQian-Ze ZhuChrisy Xiyu DuElla M. KingMichael P. BrennerDesigning components that can robustly self-assemble into structures with biological complexity is a grand challenge for material science. Proofreading and error correction is required to improve assembly yield beyond equilibrium limits, using energy to avoid kinetic traps in the energy landscape. Here, we introduce an explicit two-staged proofreading scheme for patchy particle colloidal assemblies that substantially improves assembly yield and robustness. The first stage implements local rules whereby particles increase their binding strengths when they detect a local environment corresponding to a desired target. The second stage corrects remaining errors, adding a reverse pathway inspired by kinetic proofreading. The scheme shows significant yield improvements, eliminating kinetic traps, giving a much broader temperature range with high yield. Additionally, the scheme is robust against quenched disorder in the components. Our findings illuminate a pathway for advancing the programmable design of synthetic living materials, potentially fostering the synthesis of novel biological materials and functional behaviors.http://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevResearch.6.L042057
spellingShingle Qian-Ze Zhu
Chrisy Xiyu Du
Ella M. King
Michael P. Brenner
Proofreading mechanism for colloidal self-assembly
Physical Review Research
title Proofreading mechanism for colloidal self-assembly
title_full Proofreading mechanism for colloidal self-assembly
title_fullStr Proofreading mechanism for colloidal self-assembly
title_full_unstemmed Proofreading mechanism for colloidal self-assembly
title_short Proofreading mechanism for colloidal self-assembly
title_sort proofreading mechanism for colloidal self assembly
url http://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevResearch.6.L042057
work_keys_str_mv AT qianzezhu proofreadingmechanismforcolloidalselfassembly
AT chrisyxiyudu proofreadingmechanismforcolloidalselfassembly
AT ellamking proofreadingmechanismforcolloidalselfassembly
AT michaelpbrenner proofreadingmechanismforcolloidalselfassembly