Artificial Cell Catalysts for Biotransformation: Design Principles and Process Integration.

Abstract

Artificial cell catalysts are emerging as programmable biocatalytic platforms for sustainable molecular conversion. By reconstituting enzymes and functional modules within synthetic compartments, they combine the selectivity of biological catalysis with the design flexibility of synthetic materials. For biotransformation, their main promise lies in the ability to coordinate reaction pathways, molecular transport, energy supply, spatial organization, and catalyst recovery within defined reaction spaces. Recent studies have shown that artificial compartments can support multienzyme conversion, selective transport, ATP and cofactor regeneration, hierarchical reaction architectures, and immobilized or flow-compatible operation. However, the engineering principles needed to translate these systems from proof-of-concept constructs into practical biotransformation platforms remain insufficiently integrated. In this review, we examine artificial cell catalysts from a bioengineering perspective, focusing on how catalytic and transport functions, energy and cofactor regeneration, spatial organization, and reactor implementation jointly determine process performance. This integrated view provides a framework for advancing artificial cell catalysts from cell-mimetic constructs toward quantitatively assessable and process-compatible biocatalytic systems.