WO2009143308A2 - Protein self-producing artificial cell - Google Patents

Abstract

An artificial cell, such as a vesicle, encapsulates gene material capable of producing specific biomolecules. The gene material produces the biomolecules inside the cell for self- incorporation of the biomolecules into the cell membrane. The artificial cell with the self- incorporated biomolecules may be used for a variety of applications, including, but not limited to, protein test kits and water filtration systems.

Description

PROTEIN SELF-PRODUCING ARTIFICIAL CELL

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit, under 35 U.S. C. 119(e), of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/055,207 filed May 22, 2008, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the invention

The present invention generally related to an artificial cell, such as a vesicle, including gene material capable of producing specific biomolecules. The gene material produces the biomolecules inside the cell for self-incorporation into the cell membrane.

2. Description of related Art

Biomolecules, such as proteins, have a large variety of functions, including acting as pumps, channels, valves, energy transducers, and mechanical, thermal, and electrical sensors, among many others. Since these proteins are nanometers in size and highly efficient, they are highly attractive for use in artificial devices. However, their natural lipid membrane environment suffers from shortcomings such as low strength, necessity of an aqueous environment, and susceptibility to chemical or bacterial degradation. Therefore, attempts have been made to incorporate such biomolecules into membrane structures. One major problem when incorporating such biomolecules into membranes for purposes like water filtration is to get a high density of the proteins in the membrane. The higher the density of proteins the more efficient would the filtration membrane be. Therefore, a biological membrane, also referred to as a biomembrane, which includes a high density of biomolecules would be advantageous. Biosensors are devices that are able to detect analytes by combining a biological component with some detector component. They typically comprise a sensitive biological element, a transducer (i.e. the detector element) and the needed electronic or signal processors. They combine two important concepts that integrate "biological recognition" and "sensing". The basic principle of a biosensor is to detect this molecular recognition and to transform it into another type of signal using a transducer. The selected transducer may produce either an optical signal (i.e. optical biosensor) or an electrochemical signal (i.e. electrochemical biosensors). The bioreceptor may consist of an enzyme, an antibody, a gene fragment, a chemoreceptor, a tissue, an organelle or a microorganism. The sensitive biological element typically is a biological material, a biologically derived material or biomimic. The transducer transforms the signal resulting from the interaction of the analyte with the biological element into another signal, optic, a current, a voltage, etc.

One example of a biosensor is described in, for example, U.S. Patent No. 6,743,581 describing an integrated biosensor system for the simultaneous detection of a plurality of different types of targets including at least one sampling platform. The sampling platform includes a plurality of receptors for binding to the targets. The plurality of receptors includes at least one protein receptor and at least one nucleic acid receptor. At least one excitation source of electromagnetic radiation at a first frequency is provided for irradiating the receptors, wherein electromagnetic radiation at a second frequency different from the first frequency is emitted in response to irradiation when at least one of the different types of targets are bound to the receptor probes. An integrated circuit detector system having a plurality of detection channels is also provided for detecting electromagnetic radiation at said second frequency, the detection channels each including at least one detector. The biochip introduces a number of the different types of bioprobes, for example polynucleotides, such as PNA, RNA and DNA; polypeptides, such as proteins, peptides, antibodies, enzymes, and receptors; as well as tissues, organelles, and other receptor probes.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This invention is an artificial cell, such as a vesicle, comprising gene material for specific biomolecules, where the gene material is used in the artificial cell to produce the biomolecules inside the cell, these biomolecules then self-incorporate into the cell membrane.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment thereof, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 shows a preferred embodiment of an artificial cell as provided by the present invention;

FIG. 2 shows a preferred embodiment of a plurality of artificial cells incorporated into a matrix; and

FIG. 3 shows a preferred embodiment of a plurality of artificial cells incorporated into pores of a millipore membrane.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is an artificial cell, such as a vesicle, comprising gene material for specific biomolecules, where the gene material is used in the artificial cell to produce the biomolecules inside the cell, these biomolecules then self-incorporate into the cell membrane. FIG. 1 shows a preferred embodiment of the present invention including an artificial cell 1, such as a vesicle, shaped by a cell membrane 2. In a preferred embodiment, the cell membrane is a lipid bilayer or an amphiphilic polymer membrane. Inside the artificial cell is gene material 3 for one or perhaps a plurality of specific biomolecules, gene material producing a biomolecule 4, and free biomolecules 5. The free biomolecules 5 are inside the artificial cell 1 after they have been produced and before they are incorporated into the cell membrane 2 as incorporated biomolecules 6.

The biomolecule can in a non-limiting way be a protein, such as a membrane protein or enzyme. In other specific examples, the biomolecule can be a receptor, a channel, a signal transducer, or an ion pump. In still other example, the biomolecule can be an energy converting protein (e.g., bacteriorhodopsin), an aquaporin, MscL, a cytochrome oxidase, hemoglobin, hemerythrin, hemocyanin, GutR, VR15 CMRl, connexin, calreticulin, microtubule, S 100 proteins, heat shock proteins (hsps), OmpA, Omp F, FhuA, FecA, BtuB, OMPLA, Ope A, FadL, NspA, light-harvesting complex (LHC) proteins, fumarate reductase, succinate dehydrogenase, formate dehydrogenase, nitrate reductase, or an ATPase. One of ordinary skill in the art can appreciate that additional biomolecules and proteins may be used and are within the scope of the present invention. In a preferred embodiment, the biomolecules are proteins from the Aquaporin family, such as AquaporinZ.

The cell membrane could be a polymer matrix where the polymer matrix can comprise any polymer. Suitable polymers include, but are not limited to, homopolymers or copolymers. In some examples, the polymer can be a block, random, or graft copolymer. Suitable polymers for the polymer matrix are readily available from commercial sources and/or can be prepared by methods known to those of ordinary skill in the art. Specific examples of useful membranes include polymeric matrices including, but not limited to, modified or unmodified polyolefin polyethers, and poly alky lene oxides. More specific examples of suitable polymers that can be used to provide the cell membrane 2 can include, but are not limited to, modified or unmodified polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene, polybutylene, poly(meth)acrylate, poly-ethylmethacrylate, polyacrylonitrile, ABS, polyethylene oxide, polypropylene oxide, polybutylene oxide, polyterephthalate, polyamide, nylon, polysiloxane, polyvinylacetate, polyvinylethers, polyoxazoline, polyacrylic acid, polyacyl alkylene imine, polyhydroxy-lkylacrylates, copolymers, and mixtures thereof. The term "modified" is used herein to describe a polymer having a particular monomelic unit that would typically make up the pure polymer but has been replaced by another monomelic unit that shares a common polymerization capacity with the replaced monomelic unit. Thus, for example, it is possible to substitute diol residues for glycol in poly(ethylene glycol), in which case the poly(ethylene glycol) will be "modified" with the diol. In one aspect, the polymer used to prepare the polymer matrix comprises a polymer produced by the ring-opening cationic polymerization of ethyl oxazoline with bifunctional benzyl chloride-terminated PDMS. The cell membrane 2 or matrix has been described in terms of several embodiments, however, it is understood that other materials or construction would also apply to the invention.

In another embodiment, the cell membrane is made using the techniques provided in U.S. Patent 6,835,394 which provides examples of encapsulation membranes provided as biocompatible vesicles. This patent teaches the preparation and use of vesicles and related encapsulating membranes made in aqueous solution from amphiphilic polymers and related molecules. The entire content of U.S. patent 6,835,394 is expressly incorporated herein by reference.

In another embodiment, the cell membrane is made using the techniques provided in U.S. Patent 6,723,814 directed toward membranes made from amphiphilic copolymers. The amphiphilic copolymers can be ABA copolymers, where one of A and B is hydrophilic and the other is hydrophobic. The copolymers may be crosslinked to form more stable structures. Crosslinking can be accomplished using a variety of methods, including end to end polymerization of copolymers having terminal unsaturated groups. Molecules such as membrane proteins can be incorporated into the membrane to allow the transport there through of selected components. The entire content of U.S. Patent 6,723,814 is expressly incorporated herein by reference.

In another embodiment, the cell membrane may be constructing polymer vesicles as described in U.S. Patent 6,916,488. This patent discloses vesicles made from amphiphilic copolymers that are ABA copolymers, where one of A and B is hydrophilic and the other is hydrophobic. The copolymers may be crosslinked to form nanocapsules. Crosslinking can be accomplished using a variety of methods, including end to end polymerization of copolymers having terminal unsaturated groups. Molecules, such as membrane proteins, can be incorporated into the wall of the vesicles or nanocapsules. The entire content of U.S. Patent 6,916,488 is expressly incorporated herein by reference.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the artificial cells 1, or vesicles, could be used as a screening kit for biomolecules, such as proteins, where artificial cells 1 are equipped with the specified gene material 3 to produce the proteins and the proteins are incorporating into the cell membrane 2. Thereby, ready-made vesicles or cells are formed already having the proteins incorporated into the membrane for a variety of testing purposes appreciated by those skilled in the art. In another embodiment of the present invention, the artificial cells 1 are just used as carriers of the biomolecules, such as proteins. The proteins may be later extracted from the carriers for use.

In another embodiment of the present invention, the artificial cells 1 are provided to customers with the gene material 3 inside, the customers then 'activate' the formation of the biomolecules, such as proteins, themselves. FIG. 2 shows an example where the artificial cells 1 are not used for screening, but are incorporated into some membrane matrix 7 as the operational parts of a construction, such as the water filtration or energy conversion embodiments described in U.S. patent 7,208,089, the entire contents of which are expressly incorporated herein by reference. FIG. 3 shows another example where the artificial cells 1 are incorporated into the pores 9 of a millipore membrane 8. This could be especially suitable for a water filtration embodiment.

In one embodiment of the invention, the biomolecules are selected to transport only water molecules, whereby the artificial cell is used in water filtration. An example of useful biomolecules includes proteins selected from the Aquaporin family of proteins. For example, through the use of the Aquaporin Z and/or Aquaporins 1,2, and 4 family of proteins incorporated into a cell membrane, stable films are produced which will only pass water, thus facilitating water purification, desalination, and molecular concentration through dialysis. The Aquaporins exclude the passage of all contaminants, including bacteria, viruses, minerals, proteins, DNA, salts, detergents, dissolved gases, and even protons from an aqueous solution, but aquaporin molecules are able to transport water because of their structure. Although, for example, it is noted that some aquaporins are known as transporters of glycerol, gas (CO₂, NH₃), chloride, nitrate and arsenate. Aquaporins 3, 7, 9, and 10 are known to have water/glycerol channels. Aquaporins 6 and 8 can transfer some gas and ions. Every aquaporin is comprised of six transmembrane alpha-helical domains that anchor the protein in a membrane and two highly conserved NPA loops that come together apex to apex in the center of the protein to form a kind of hourglass shape. The narrowing in this hourglass is where molecules, such as water, actually pass through the membrane in single file. In Aquaporin Z, and related Aquaporins, it has been shown that water movement is symmetrical and can proceed in either direction; this fact is important because this process does not consume energy. Water moves through the membrane in a particular direction because of hydraulic or osmotic pressure. Water purification/desalination can be achieved with a two-chambered device having the two chambers separated by a rigid membrane at its center that is filled with aquaporins. This membrane itself is impermeable to water and separates contaminated water in a first chamber from purified water in a second chamber. Only pure water is able to flow between the two chambers. Thus, when sea water or other contaminated water on one side of the membrane is placed under an appropriate pressure, pure water naturally flows into the other chamber. Accordingly, purified water can be obtained from undrinkable sources or, it the source water contained chemicals of interest, the water can be selectively removed, leaving a high concentration of the wanted chemicals in the input chamber. Importantly, however, the aquaporins are also suitable to this invention for reasons other than their exclusive selectivity for water. Many members of this protein family, such as AquaporinZ (AqpZ), are extremely rugged and can withstand the harsh conditions of contaminated source water without losing function. AqpZ resists denaturing and unravelling from exposure to acids, voltages, detergents, and heat. Therefore, the device can be used to purify source water contaminated with materials that might foul or destroy another membrane, and it can be used in areas that experience consistently high temperatures.

AqpZ is also mutable. Since this protein is specifically expressed in host bacteria according to a genetic sequence that influences its final shape and function, a technician can easily change its genetic code in order to change the protein's characteristics. Therefore, the protein can be engineered to fulfil a desired application that may be different from the protein's original function. For example, by simply changing a particular amino acid residue near the center of the water channel to cysteine, the Aquaporins produced would bind any free Mercury in the solution and cease transporting water due to the blockage. Thus, these mutant proteins used in a membrane device could detect Mercury contamination in a water sample by simply ceasing flow when the concentration of the toxic substance rises too high.

The artificial cell of the present invention may also be applied to biosensors and bioprobes such as described in U.S. Patent No. 6,743,581 and any other known in the art and for other known uses. The entire content of U.S. Patent No. 6,743,581 is expressly incorporated herein by reference.

The present invention also relates to bioprobes using specific transmembranes of the artificial cell having the self-incorporated biomolecules as previous described, either by extracting them from the vesicles, or by introducing the complete vesicle with the transmembrane as bioprobes or into bioprobes.

The artificial cell, or vesicles, of the present invention may also be used as biosensors, for example, by fluorescence or labled vesicles.

The artificial cells, or vesicles, of the present invention may also introduce biomolecules, introducing the vesicles with the biomolecules themselves to biosensors to operate as the detectors of the sensors, also to be called biodetectors. For example, by linking a fluorophore to a transmembrane protein targeting proteins may be detected that are able to interact with the fluorophore linked transmembrane protein, which may be advantageously used with the fluorescence technique called FRET (Fluorescent Resonance Energy Transfer), being a mechanism describing energy transfer between two chromophores, where a donor chromophore, initially in its electronic excited state, may transfer energy to an acceptor chromophore through nonradiative dipole-dipole coupling. In FRET technology, the donor and acceptor can be used to produce different fluorescence when it is combined together or the donor and quencher combination be used as well. One example of a biosensor using the FRET technology is found in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2002127623, the entire content of the application is expressly incorporated herein by reference. The artificial cells, or vesicles, of the present invention thus may themselves be incorporated into biosensors with biomolecules acting as probes and/or detectors, or may just operate as producers and carriers of the biomolecules before being introduced into a biosensor. Each artificial cell, or vesicle, may comprise different kinds of biomolecules, in biosensor embodiments some operating as probes and come operating as detectors, or specialized vesicles may be formed, some including biomolecules for probing purposes and some including biomolecules for detecting purposes.

The artificial cell, or vesicles, may be fixed in the biosensor as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, by positioning them into structures, possible with sizes in the same order as the diameter of the vesicles, in the surfaces of the support and fixed by covering the support with, for example, a permeable membrane, or in any other known manner.

In one alternative embodiment, the membrane of the vesicle themselves are used as a planar matrix for the biomolecules by "opening" them and fixing the opened planar membrane to some support structure.

In one embodiment, tailored artificial therapeutic cells according to the present invention may be reconstructed using cytoplasm as translational and transcription factors, making it possible to reconstitute a tailored artificial cell with engineering. For example, if a transmembrane protein in a human body, or in general a mammaliam body, is malfunctioned, the gene of the DNA may be cloned and used to reconstruct protein-incorporated vesicles for medical therapy. In this manner, by directly extracting lipid and cytoplasm from the patient's cell fusion affinity to the targeted tissue is increased and the risk of immune responses is lowered. Gene therapy using stem cells is well known, but where it is expensive to and takes time to establish the stem cell, it is relatively easy and at a lower cost to extract the cytoplasm from the human or mammalian cells. In another embodiment of the vesicles of the present invention, drug delivery vesicles, vehicles, or hollow sphere are formed. Such vesicles are well known in the art, for example as described in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2008260833 disclosing a drug delivery vehicle having active agent loaded vesicles in a hydrogel matrix; desirably either or both of the vesicles and matrix are made of at least one stimulus responsive polymer so that active agent is released in response to contact with a stimulus. The vesicles are desirably designed to respond to a certain stimulus and the degree of the responsiveness can also be designed. Alternatively, the vesicles can be degradable, or can release active agents passively. Other embodiments include oral and injectable drug delivery vehicles. In another embodiment, the vehicle may be used as a support or overlay for cells grown in culture and thus provide for the prolonged release of the encapsulated agent into the culture medium.

In another embodiment, magneto-vesicles are used similar to those disclosed in U.S. Patent Application Publication No 2009060992 with two different surfactants, i.e., Dioleoyl phosphatidylethanolamine (DOPE) and dimethyl dioctadecylammonium bromide (DDAB), were synthesized using size controllable magnetic nanoparticles as cores. From AFM measurements, the average sizes of vesicles and magneto-vesicles are approximately 316 nm and approximately 311 nm, respectively. These biocompatible magneto-vesicles have very good disparity in aqueous solution and affinity to cells, rendering them potentially useful as magnetic carriers for field-guided drug delivery. Light-emitting dye molecules together with magnetic particles were encapsulated inside these vesicles. An experiment showed that disruption of the vesicles release the encapsulated dye molecules, thus the principle of using the drug-carrying magneto-vesicles as a drug delivery agent that can be guided by applied magnetic filed has been demonstrated. The entire content of U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2008260833 and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2009060992 is expressly incorporated herein by reference, and any such known use of vesicles to release agents and drugs are also part of the use of the vesicles of the present invention. The following is an illustration of one example of the present invention. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the invention may be readily adapted.

EXAMPLE

A reconstituted artificial cell is formed that is able to transfer water through E.coli origin transmembrane protein, Aquaporin Z. A natural cell like system is constructed in vitro through an Aquaporin Z gene cloned in DNA plasmids (DNA vector) and E.coli extract encapsulated in giant lipid vesicles. The artificial cells that are formed are water transportable artificial cells. E. coli bacteria uses the Aquaporin Z protein for transporting water. Here, the Aquaporin Z gene is cloned in the in vitro expression DNA vector to build Aquaporin Z (AqpZ) producible artificial cells. In natural system, there are genetic and cytoplasmic parts in lipid bilayer membrane.

The artificial cell of the present invention seeks to mimic this natural system. Similarly, genetic modified DNA vectors are used for the genetic part and E.coli extract for the cytoplasmic part to mimic the natural system. Here, Aquaporin Z protein is the biomolecule, also referred to herein as a transmembrane protein. To confirm the incorporation of the Aquaporin Z protein into the lipid membrane in the in vitro circumstance, green fluorescence protein (GFP) is used as a reporter.

The reconstituted artificial cells can self-produce aquaporin Z, incorporate aquapotin Z into lipid bilayer membrane, and make water transport through aquaporin water channel. This system is the first reconstituted system for water transportation, producing protein from genetic modified DNA and self-incorporation in lipid vesicles similar to a natural system. The reconstituted artificial cell mimics Aquporin Z incorporated bacteria. For energy consumption of this system, the artificial cells are built in lipid giant vesicles.

The biomolecules or transmembrane protein is incorporated into the lipid bilayer of the reconstituted artificial cell. The encapsulated cloned DNA and E.coli extract can produce AquaporinZ-GFP protein in the reconstituted cells as well as make them incorporate into the lipid membrane by diffusion, hydrophobic interaction, and incorporation with possible existed helping factors in the E.coli extract.

Aquaporin Z is genetic modified to enable its expression for in vitro systems and the cloned gene is encapsulated with reaction solution in the lipid bilayer vesicles. To clone into the in vitro expression DNA plasmid (vector), the Aquaporin Z gene with new restriction enzyme sites is taken out. Additionally, fluorescence reporter genes, such as green fluorescence protein gene (GFP), are linked with Aquaporin Z gene. This reporter gene confirms that Aquaporin Z is incorporated by analysis under a fluorescence microscope. In addition, this gene can be detached from the Aquaporin Z gene if it is not necessary. The detailed steps of this invention are: 1) cloning Aquaporin Z gene, 2) linking Aquaporin Z gene and GFP gene, 3) cloning aquaporin Z-GFP gene into in vitro expression plasmid DNA (vector), and 4) reconstitution through encapsulating genetic modified DNA vector and E.coli extract in lipid membrane.

1. Gene cloning for in vitro expression system The Aquaporin Z gene is replicated through PCR with sense and antisense primers. To link fluorescence reporter gene, the stop codon of Aquaporin Z gene is removed. The primer sequences are as follow.

Sense primer with EcoRI restriction enzyme site CACCGAATTCATGTTCAGAA AATTAGCAGC TGAATGTTTTC Anti-sense primer AqpZ removed stop codon with Pstl restriction enzyme site TCTGCAGATCACGCTTTTCCAGCAGGGTCC

The resultant PCR product is cloned into a pENTR/D-TOPO vector (Invitrogen) and the proper gene cloning is confirmed by DNA sequencing using M13(-21) forward and M 13 reverse primers. The cloned AquaporinZ gene is cut with EcoRI and Pstl restriction enzymes and continuously inserted into EcoRI and Pstl digested pVL-GFP vector. The Aquaporin Z -GFP included pVL DNA vector is transformed into competent cell and replicated.

The cloned vector is purified and the AquaporinZ linked GFP genes are taken out using PCR with follow DNA primers. Sense including Notl enzyme site

CACCGCGGCCGCATGTTCAGAA AATTAGCAGC TGAATGTTTTC Anti-sense including BamHI enzyme site TGGATCCCTATTTGTATAGTTCATC

The subsequent PCR product was inserted into the pENTR/D-TOPO vector and transformed in the competent cell. After selected in Kanamycin included LB/Agar plate, the cloned DNA vectors were purified. The proper gene cloning was confirmed through DNA sequencing. The cloned genes were cut with restriction enzymes (Notl and BamHI) and ligated into Not I and BamHI digested pIVEX 2.4d vector that is in vitro expression vector. To make high copies, AquaporinZ-GFP cloned pIVEX 2.4d vectors were transformed into competent cells and purified.

2. Reconstituted artificial cell

To reconstitute self assembled artificial cells, E.coli extract is mixed with AquaporinZ- GFP cloned pIVEX 2.4d vectors (Roche) and encapsulated into the giant lipid vesicles through rehydration methods or oil emulsion method. For the rehydration method, phospholipid (recithin, Sigma) was spread in solvent- solution on a roughed Teflon disk and the remained solvent was removed by vacuum. And then, the DNA vector - E.coli extract mixture was put on top of the phospholipid coated Teflon disk and incubated at 4 ⁰C overnight. In this step, the reconstituted artificial cells are self assembled.

Alternatively, the encapsulated giant vesicles can be made through oil emulsion method referring by Noireaux and Libchaber (PNAS, vol. 101, pp 17669-17674, 2004). The detail process is as follows. The cloned DNA and E. coil extract and reaction solution, feeding solutions are prepared from a supplier (Roche). And then, the cloned DNA, E.coli extract and other reaction solution are mixed and added to mineral oil (Sigma) with dissolved phospholipid (Sigma) to form the E.coli extract including DNA and reaction solution - mineral oil emulsion. In this step, the stabilized monolayer phospholipids surround DNA and E.coli extract in the interface of mineral oil. Continuously, this emulsion is dropped into the feeding solution to transfer the monolayer phospholipids to bilayer vesicle forms in the bibasic feeding solution. The formed vesicle numbers can be controlled by regulating osmotic pressure of the feeding solution. Finally, the formed vesicles are collected by centrifugation (12Og, 10 min).

After making the reconstituted vesicles, the giant vesicles (> 10 um) are selected for the present invention. The protein incorporated fluorescent giant vesicles can be observed under fluorescence microscope after incubation at room temperature. Additionally, conventional vesicle swelling tests for water transport can be taken in high osmotic solution. Although the present invention has been disclosed in terms of a preferred embodiment, it will be understood that numerous additional modifications and variations could be made thereto without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the following claims:

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. An artificial cell comprising a) a cell membrane, and b) at least one gene material encapsulated within said cell membrane, wherein said gene material is capable of producing at least one biomolecule.

2. The artificial cell of claim 1, wherein the cell membrane further encapsulates biomolecules produced by said gene material. .

3. The artificial cell of claim 2, wherein at least one of the biomolecules is incorporated into the cell membrane to form a membrane/biomolecule composite.

4. The artificial cell of claim 1, wherein the cell membrane encapsulates at least two different types of gene material.

5. The artificial cell of claim 1, wherein said biomolecules are natural biological proteins.

6. The artificial cell of claim 1, wherein the biomolecules are genetically engineered proteins.

7. The artificial cell of claim 1, wherein said biomolecules are selected to transport only water molecules, whereby said artificial cell is a water filter.

8. The artificial cell of claim 7, wherein said biomolecules are proteins selected from the aquaporin family of proteins.

9. The artificial cell of claim 1 , wherein said cell membrane is a lipid bilayer or an amphiphilic polymer.

10. A matrix comprising the artificial cells of claim 1, wherein the artificial cells are incorporated into the matrix.

11. A matrix comprising the artificial cells of claim 2, wherein the artificial cells are incorporated into the matrix.

12. A matrix comprising the artificial cells of claim 3, wherein the artificial cells are incorporated into the matrix.

13. The matrix of claim 12, wherein the biomolecules are selected to transport only water molecules whereby said matrix and said artificial cells together forms a water filter.

14. The matrix of claim 13, wherein said biomolecules are selected from the aquaporin family of proteins.

15. The matrix of claim 13, wherein said matrix is impermeable to water, and wherein said biomolecules are selected to permit passage of water molecules under pressure.

16. The matrix of claim 12, wherein said biomolecules are energy converting proteins.

17. The matrix of claim 16, wherein said energy converting proteins include bacteriorodopsin and cytochrome oxydase embedded in said matrix for converting optical energy to electrical energy.

18. A kit for testing proteins wherein the kit comprises the artificial cell according to claim 1.

19. A kit for testing proteins wherein the kit comprises the artificial cell according to claim 2.

20. A kit for testing proteins wherein the kit comprises the artificial cell according to claim 3.