Researchers create first synthetic cell that can feed, grow and replicate
A team led by University of Minnesota synthetic biologist Kate Adamala assembled a minimal cell from nonliving chemicals that can consume nutrients, divide and persist for several generations, marking a milestone in synthetic biology.
A University of Minnesota research team has assembled a minimal cell from nonliving chemical components that can feed, grow and replicate for several generations. The prototype, dubbed “SpudCell,” resembles a simple bacterium but contains only about 150 to 200 distinct molecules and a genome of roughly 90,000 base pairs, far fewer than the millions of base pairs in natural bacteria.
"I know the full ingredient list of the cell, I know exactly what chemicals, what molecules at what concentrations," said Kate Adamata, professor of synthetic biology. She added that the fully defined composition allows precise engineering of the cell.
The synthetic cell requires external supply of ribosomes and other nutrients, and each replication cycle takes about 12 hours at 30°C, compared with the 30-minute division time of Escherichia coli. While it lacks a cytoskeleton, the cell divides by crowding proteins at its membrane, forcing it to split.
External experts described the work as a significant step for the field. Yuval Elani of Imperial College London said building a cell from scratch removes evolutionary constraints and opens possibilities for novel biological functions. Tom Ellis, also at Imperial College, called it “probably the biggest breakthrough in recent times in the synthetic cell field.”
The researchers released a pre-print detailing the construction of SpudCell and plan to submit it to a peer-reviewed journal. They have also founded a public-benefit organization, Biotic, to make the technology available to other scientists, offering free access for academic and nonprofit use and licensing fees for commercial applications.
Although the cell can undergo selection when engineered changes are introduced, the team notes it does not evolve spontaneously and poses no biosafety risk because it cannot reproduce without supplied components. The work is expected to inform studies of the minimal requirements for life and may eventually enable engineered organisms for applications such as carbon capture or drug production.
