Tag

Synthetic Biology

All articles tagged with #synthetic biology

science3 days ago•8 min saved

Two genetic codes run in parallel, opening new frontiers in synthetic biology

Researchers led by George Church demonstrate a cell‑free system where two distinct genetic codes operate in parallel, using separate ribosome–tRNA pairs to translate the same mRNA into different proteins. This bypasses the need to rewrite an organism’s entire genome and could accelerate synthetic biology, though it hasn’t been tested in living cells and could cause unintended protein misfolding or cell death if attempted in vivo.

via Ars Technica|

#cell-free-translation #genetic-code #ribosome

technology9 days ago•28 min saved

MOSAIC: a scalable self-assembly method for high-throughput gene synthesis

Researchers introduced MOSAIC, a self-assembly–driven method for high-throughput DNA fragment synthesis that couples orthogonal in vitro assembly of overlapping oligos with in vivo DNA repair, enabling 1,000+ gene fragments to be produced in one-pot, with near-zero misalignment. Using microchip-based oligo synthesis, MOSAIC can assemble fragments up to several kilobases, build massive variant libraries (e.g., PETase), and recover dozens of error-free genes after targeted sequencing; the work includes open-source code on GitHub and NGS data in NCBI and suggests a scalable route to close the DNA-synthesis bottleneck in synthetic biology.

via Nature|

#dna-synthesis #gene-assembly #high-throughput

technology16 days ago•37 min saved

Programmable DNA origami nanosyringe enables controlled membrane piercing and cargo delivery

Researchers report a programmable DNA origami nanosyringe (DOS) that anchors to membranes via a cholesterol base and uses DNA-fuel–driven sliding of a needle to puncture and reseal lipid bilayers, enabling on-demand, cargo-specific translocation: small molecules diffuse through the needle channels, while cargo tethered to the needle tip can be actively transported. In synthetic cells, the DOS triggers membrane-localized reactions such as hybridization chain reactions, RNA transcription, and catalytic RNA cleavage, demonstrating a modular platform for membrane-based control of biochemical processes.

via Nature|

#cargo-delivery #dna-origami #membrane-translocation

technology22 days ago•4 min saved

AI designs complete viral genomes, sparking biosafety concerns

Stanford researchers used AI models Evo1 and Evo2 to design complete bacteriophage genomes capable of infecting E. coli, producing 16 viable designs—the first time AI designed entire viral genomes. The work could advance treatments for antibiotic-resistant infections, but it raises urgent biosafety and biosecurity questions about creating new life and potential misuse; researchers say they excluded viruses that infect complex organisms, held experiments in secure labs, and stress safeguards, while experts warn of risks including possible autonomous misbehavior by AI systems.

via New York Post|

#antibiotic-resistance #artificial-intelligence #bacteriophages

science22 days ago•5 min saved

AI designs complete viral genomes, sparking therapy promise and biosafety concerns

Researchers used AI to design complete bacteriophage genomes, selecting 302 designs and confirming 16 that kill E. coli in the lab; this marks the first time a complete viral genome was designed by AI and could accelerate phage therapy and drug development, but raises urgent biosafety and biosecurity concerns that require safeguards.

via BBC|

#artificial-intelligence #bacteriophages #biosafety

science22 days ago•4 min saved

AI Designs First Synthetic Viruses, Raising Biosafety Stakes

Stanford researchers used Evo 2, a generative AI, to design and synthesize 16 bacteriophages that kill E. coli more effectively than the natural ΦX174. Evo 2 is open-source, enabling others to design new genomes, but the work was done with a non-pathogenic strain in a secure lab; experts caution that governance and biosafety measures must keep pace as the technology could extend to larger organisms and broader biothreat concerns.

via Financial Times|

#artificial-intelligence #biosafety #genomics

science1 month ago•9 min saved

AI-guided design unlocks custom gut microbiomes for targeted health

A machine-learning framework is used to identify optimal gut microbial communities and nutrient inputs to maximize predefined health benefits, enabling AI-driven design of gut microbiomes as a tool in synthetic biology.

via Nature|

#gut-microbiome #machine-learning #metabolic-engineering

science1 month ago•13 min saved

SpudCell exposes how close we are to synthetic life—and how far we still are

Scientists announced on July 2, 2026 that they created SpudCell, the first synthetic cell built from purified, nonliving components. While it can feed, grow, replicate genetic material and undergo a cell-like division, it is not autonomous: it relies on laboratory conditions and ongoing input of molecular machinery, and it cannot reproduce indefinitely. The milestone helps researchers study core cellular processes—membranes, gene expression, energy use, and growth—while offering potential safe, simplified platforms for disease research, drug delivery, and environmental sensing. It also highlights ongoing debates about what constitutes life, and underscores the need for safety, governance, and ethical oversight in synthetic biology.

via The Conversation|

#bioethics #life-definition #science

science1 month ago•6 min saved

Lab-made synthetic cell completes its first division

Scientists built a non-living, liposome-based synthetic cell that completed a full division cycle—growing, duplicating its DNA, and splitting into two—by using membrane-targeting protein tags; a landmark in synthetic biology, though the cell relies on external ribosomes and materials to survive.

via Boing Boing|

#artificial-cells #cell-division #dna-replication

science1 month ago•5 min saved

SpudCell: Minnesota researchers unveil a near-life synthetic cell built from nonliving components

University of Minnesota researchers report the creation of SpudCell, a life-like synthetic cell assembled from nonliving components that can grow, replicate its DNA and divide under lab conditions, featuring a 90,000-base-pair genome. After five generations, only about 30% of daughter cells inherited the complete synthetic genome, underscoring current limits. Published as a bioRxiv preprint (not peer-reviewed), the work marks a milestone toward artificial life but the cells require external nutrients and strict lab conditions and are far from self-sustaining, prompting ongoing biosafety and biosecurity discussions.

via Fox News|

#artificial-life #biorxiv #science

science1 month ago•8 min saved

SpudCells Divide Briefly, Offering Clues About Minimal Life

A Minnesota team built a simplified, membrane-encased system that imports nutrients and uses viral components to copy DNA, creating 'SpudCells' that feed, grow, and undergo a few rounds of division before genome pieces drift and are lost; the division is driven by merging with a food membrane and pore-protein clumping, enabling natural selection in this engineered protocell—useful for studying origin-of-life questions but not a true primitive cell.

via Ars Technica|

#membrane #origin-of-life #protocell

science1 month ago•6 min saved

SpudCell: first synthetic cell built from non-living components completes a full life cycle

Scientists report creating SpudCell, the first synthetic cell assembled from non-living components that can grow, divide, and complete a life cycle using a 90-kilobase genome; while not yet peer‑reviewed and not truly self-sustaining or evolvable, the work provides a programmable chassis for future bioengineering and explorations of what defines life.

via ScienceAlert|

#bioengineering #life #science

science1 month ago•27 min saved

Lab-Built Droplet Signals Growth and Division, Nudging Synthetic Life Forward

University of Minnesota synthetic biologist Kate Adamala and team created SpudCell, a lab-made droplet of 150–200 molecules carrying a 36-gene, 90,000-base-pair genome that can feed, grow, copy DNA, and divide about every 12 hours at 30°C. However ribosomes degrade over time and only about 30% of instances retain the full genome after five divisions, and the system is not yet a living cell. The work led to Biotic, a new initiative with $10 million in seed funding to advance synthetic cell development, with potential future applications in cancer therapies, carbon capture, and chemical manufacturing.

via Ground News|

#artificial-life #biotechnology #cell-replication

science1 month ago•4 min saved

SpudCells demonstrate a complete synthetic-cell life cycle with lab-made DNA

Researchers built SpudCells—synthetic, non-living cells formed from chemical components and lab-made DNA—that grow, copy their genome, and divide in a nutrient-rich solution by fusing with feeder liposomes, marking the first demonstration of a complete synthetic-cell life cycle. While not alive and dependent on external chemicals, they offer a controllable chassis for testing biological circuits and could underpin future biotechnologies; the work appeared as a preprint and has spurred plans to form Biotic to advance the approach toward an 'operating system for life'.

via The Guardian|

#artificial-life #dna-replication #liposomes

science1 month ago•191 min saved

Researchers Build the First Synthetic Cell From Nonliving Chemistry

Scientists have built SpudCell, a synthetic cell assembled from nonliving chemical components that can feed, grow and replicate for about five generations; though far simpler than natural cells and requiring externally supplied ribosomes, the work marks a milestone in synthetic biology toward understanding life's origins and enabling future bioengineering, with safety safeguards discussed and the core technology to be shared openly via Biotic.

via CNN|

#biosafety #open-source-biology #origin-of-life