Detection of subtle extracellular glucose changes by artificial organelles in protocells.

Feedback-controlled detection of subtle changes of extracellular biomolecules as known from cells is also needed in protocells. Artificial organelles, located in protocells, detect the small variation in pH which is triggered by different amounts of invading glucose, converted by glucose–oxidase into gluconic acid. The approach paves the way for using pH fluctuations-detecting artificial organelles in the lumen of protocells.