Biologists from the University of Minnesota have successfully developed synthetic cells composed entirely of non-living chemical components. These cells can undergo a complete life cycle—ingesting nutrients, growing, replicating genetic material, dividing into daughter cells, and transferring beneficial mutations to the next generation. Known as Spud Cells, this groundbreaking project marks a significant advancement in the field of bioengineering.
Cell cycle of a synthetic cell with a 90 kbp genome undergoing selective replication. Image credit: Gaut et al., doi: 10.64898/2026.07.01.735724.
“DNA serves as the program for all living organisms,” stated Dr. Katarzyna Adamara, the corresponding author, along with her research team.
“While the human genome consists of approximately 3 billion base pairs, biologists estimate that a living cell’s genome can be as small as 113,000 base pairs. In contrast, Spud Cell’s genome is reduced to an impressive 90,000 base pairs.”
Different from natural cells, which have inherited complex machinery through billions of years of evolution, these synthetic cells were assembled from the ground up using chemically defined components: lipid membranes in the form of liposomes, a minimal protein synthesis system, and a 90,000-base pair genome distributed across seven or eight plasmids.
The genome is specifically engineered to encode all necessary functions for the cell to nourish itself, replicate its DNA, grow, and divide.
To sustain themselves, synthetic cells merge with small “feeder” liposomes providing essential lipids, enzymes, and small molecules.
This fusion relies on a modified bacterial pore protein produced by the cell itself, featuring a chemical tag on its outer surface. This tag binds to a corresponding tag on the feeder liposome, facilitating fusion and delivering vital raw materials. Researchers describe this mechanism as a predator attracting extra prey.
Through recurrent feedings, the cells employ enzymes sourced from bacterial viruses to replicate their DNA and mechanically divide into daughter cells.
By monitoring chemical markers from each round of feeder liposomes, researchers traced a single lineage of cells over five generations. Surprisingly, around 30% of the surviving daughter cells retained a complete copy of their seven-part genome, despite the absence of a cytoskeleton or specialized systems for DNA distribution—elements relied upon by all natural cells.
The scientists investigated whether Darwinian selection could manifest in this simplified system.
They engineered a variant of the feed protein with a more robust genetic promoter, enabling cells to more effectively fuse with feeder liposomes.
When fast and slow-growing cell variants were mixed for five generations, the faster cells gradually dominated the population, increasing from a balanced mix to as much as 61% in one experiment.
When feeder liposomes were scarce, mimicking limited resources, the advantage of rapid growth became even clearer, with fast-growing cells outnumbering slow-growing cells by more than two to one.
“This is probably the most exhilarating project I’ve ever been a part of,” said Dr. Adamara.
“We’ve replicated in chemistry what was once thought to be exclusive to biology: the complete behavior of cells.”
“This demonstrates that fundamental life functions, such as growth and reproduction, do not require extraordinary complexities.”
Ultimately, they designed a division mechanism that doesn’t depend on the cell’s cytoskeleton but relies on proteins that cluster on the cell surface to pull membranes apart.
This genetically encoded division may also confer a feeding advantage, with faster-growing cells yielding more daughter cells.
“This research is merely the beginning,” Dr. Adamara concluded.
“We illustrate that it is feasible to manipulate the essential functions of cells.” An international collaboration is necessary to harness the complete potential of this technology and make it practical and robust.
A paper outlining these findings was published as a preprint on July 2nd on BioRxiv.org.
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Nathaniel J. Gaut et al. 2026. A chemically defined synthetic cell capable of growth and reproduction. BioRxiv doi: 10.64898/2026.07.01.735724
Source: www.sci.news