Specialized lecture by Prof. Barbara Sacca, University of Duisburg-Essen, Germany

Professor Barbara Sacca, University of Duisburg-Essen, Germany

Host: Associate Professor Alexander Zelikin 

Exploring the Effects of Nanoconfinement on Biochemical Processes

Cells use compartmentalization to organize chemical reactions, enhancing efficiency and specificity. Inspired by this, we developed a cell-free nanoscale model using DNA origami to create two connected compartments. The first houses the protein unfolding machine p97, which controls substrate recruitment and translocation, while the second contains the protease chymotrypsin for protein degradation. This design improves reaction rates, minimizes off-target activity, and demonstrates how modular, connected systems can enhance catalytic performance. Additionally, we will present recent nanocompartment systems to investigate how confinement and molecular crowding influence reaction rates, providing broader insights into the principles of spatial organization.