Sustained formation movement and destruction of coacervates in a waste-free system driven by electricity

Abstract Transient compartmentalization and motion are fundamental to life, and milestones in the development of complex chemical systems. Coacervates have been proposed as compartments in this context, but efforts to drive them out-of-equilibrium use exergonic reactions, which are limited by waste accumulation. Here, we present a strategy for the transient formation and movement of coacervates, using an electric potential as energy source. In a two-electrode system, the oxidation of a cysteine-containing peptide increases its multivalency, leading to complexation and coacervate formation on the anode. The electrochemically-formed coacervates move by electrophoresis to the cathode, where they dissolve by electrocatalytic reduction. The system reaches a steady state in which coacervates are simultaneously forming, moving, and dissolving in different regions of the cell. Since no waste is generated, this out-of-equilibrium regime is sustained for long times without decaying. The combination of transient formation and movement with compartmentalization opens the door for electricity-driven active transport.