Cell Biology: Model protocell may predict primordial cell cycle
Nature Communications
September 30, 2015
Artificial cells created in a laboratory may help explain how primitive living cells first evolved the ability to replicate, reports a study published in Nature Communications.
Researchers had previously created model cells by packaging proteins and DNA into tiny spheres of lipids. They were able to manipulate these model cells into duplicating DNA and splitting in two, but were unable to replicate the cell cycle - the process by which living cells continuously grow and divide.
Tadashi Sugawara and colleagues imitated this replicative feature by developing a simple method to fuse the newly divided artificial cells with other cell-mimicking lipid spheres. This provides the newly formed artificial cells with all the proteins, lipids and DNA required to restart the process, thereby creating a model of the cell cycle in an artificial laboratory setting.
Given the minimal amount of biological material used in this simulated version, it may provide a plausible scenario for how primitive single-cell organisms first evolved the ability to self-replicate.
doi: 10.1038/ncomms9352
Research highlights
-
May 27
COVID-19: Small study suggests maternal psychological distress during the pandemic may be associated with altered fetal brain developmentCommunications Medicine
-
May 27
Robotics: Growing human tissue grafts using humanoid robotsCommunications Engineering
-
May 26
Cancer: Improving cancer vaccine designNature
-
May 20
Psychology: People with neutral attitudes towards vaccines are closer to anti-vaccine viewsScientific Reports
-
May 18
Biotechnology: Contact lens measures pressure and delivers glaucoma drugNature Communications
-
May 18
COVID-19: Omicron infection does not provide effective immunity against other variants without vaccinationNature