Lab-made SpudCell: lifelike but not autonomous
Scientists report SpudCell, a bottom‑up synthetic cell built from 36 purified enzymes and a fatty membrane with a minimal genome, which can feed, grow, and divide in a dish. However, it cannot produce its own energy, lacks full ribosomal machinery, and relies on externally supplied fats, sugars, and enzymes; its genome is distributed on plasmids and cell division can be imperfect. Described as a proof‑of‑principle rather than a living, autonomous organism, the work could someday enable new on‑demand chemical or pharmaceutical production, but peer review is pending and some scientists urge caution about hype and autonomy claims.
