Photo: Orion Venero/Adamala Lab
Researchers at the University of Minnesota say they have created synthetic cells entirely from scratch and, for the first time, observed their complete life cycle, including growth and cell division, according to Science Alert.
“This is the most exciting and important work I’ve ever done,” said synthetic biologist Kate Adamala, one of the project leaders. “We recreated in chemistry what was previously possible only in biology: a complete set of cellular behaviors. It shows that fundamental processes such as growth and reproduction do not require any mysterious ‘spark of life.’”
The project, called SpudCell, has a genome of just 90 kilobases (kb). By comparison, the human genome contains about 3 million kb, while scientists previously believed that at least 113 kb of genetic material was needed for a functioning cell. The findings have not yet been peer-reviewed.
According to Science, the project faced skepticism during the publication process, with one reviewer arguing that it did not represent “real biology.”
The researchers acknowledge that SpudCell is not fully alive by biological standards because it cannot reproduce indefinitely over multiple generations or evolve.
Each synthetic cell consists of a liposome—a fatty membrane that mimics a natural cell membrane—containing seven DNA plasmids and a built-in protein expression system. This allows the cell to convert genetic instructions into proteins, absorb nutrients, grow and divide.
The team says SpudCell can perform key cellular functions, including nutrient uptake, genome replication, growth and genetically programmed cell division, marking a significant step forward in synthetic biology.
