Scientists build synthetic cell from scratch that can feed, grow and replicate
The lab-built droplet uses a 36-gene genome and a membrane system to grow, replicate DNA and divide, though it is not yet a living cell.
- University of Minnesota Twin Cities synthetic biologist Kate Adamala and her team constructed SpudCell, a synthetic droplet capable of feeding, growing, and replicating like a natural cell.
- Made of 150 to 200 molecules and 36 genes, SpudCell relies on a 90,000 base pair genome to replicate every 12 hours at 30 degrees Celsius, far slower than natural bacteria.
- Researchers encoded division using FLAG surface tags, yet ribosomes degrade over time and only 30% of SpudCells retained the full genome after five division cycles.
- Following the research, synthetic biologist Drew Endy and Adamala founded Biotic, a public-benefit institution that secured $10 million in seed money to accelerate synthetic cell development.
- Although SpudCell remains a limited prototype unable to evolve, scientists suggest synthetic cells could eventually enable new cancer treatments, carbon capture, or chemical manufacturing.
21 Articles
21 Articles
For decades, scientists tried to answer one of the deepest questions of biology: what is the minimal combination of chemical components needed to generate something like life. Now, a team from the University of Minnesota presented a breakthrough that brings them closer to that goal. They built a synthetic cell capable of feeding, growing, copying their genetic material, dividing and transmitting genetic advantages to the next generations.The wor…
Scientists say they have built a cell from scratch for the first time
Scientists say they have built a cell from scratch for the first time that can feed, grow and replicate like a natural cell. This breakthrough in synthetic biology could usher in an era of made-to-order organisms that function like living machines.
For the First Time, a Cell Built From Scratch Grows and Divides
Scientists built a synthetic cell that combines more lifelike properties than ever before — proof of concept that it’s possible to bring nonliving materials to life, or something close to it, in the lab.
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