synthetic biology

For first time, a cell built from scratch grows and divides

a month ago

Scientists have created a synthetic cell from nonliving components that can grow, replicate DNA, and divide, marking a significant step toward generating life from nonlife.
The synthetic cell, called spudcell, is built from biological molecules inside a lipid membrane but requires external supplies like ribosomes and lacks self-sustaining systems.
Researchers combined systems from different labs, including DNA replication and division-inducing proteins, to achieve cell division without a cytoskeleton, showcasing a technical breakthrough.
The cell demonstrated basic evolutionary potential by showing genetic variation and trait selection, but it lacks natural selection due to low mutation rates in DNA replication.