Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: The emergence, organization, and persistence of cellular life are the result of the functional integration of metabolic and genetic networks. Here, we engineer phospholipid vesicles that can operate three essential functions, namely transcription-translation of a partial genome, self-replication of this DNA program, and membrane synthesis. The synthetic genome encodes six proteins, and its compartmentalized expression produces active liposomes with distinct phenotypes demonstrating successful module integration. Our results reveal that genetic factors exert a stronger control over DNA replication and membrane synthesis than metabolic crosstalk or module co-activity. By showing how genetically encoded functions derived from different species can be integrated in liposome compartments, our work opens avenues for the construction of autonomous and evolving synthetic cells.
Source: Nature Communications
Authors: Ana María Restrepo Sierra, Federico Ramirez Gomez, Mats van Tongeren, Laura Sierra Heras, Christophe Danelon
Institutions: Delft University of Technology, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Institut National des Sciences Appliquées de Toulouse, Institut National de Recherche pour l'Agriculture, l'Alimentation et l'Environnement, Toulouse Biotechnology Institute, Bio & Chemical Engineering, Université de Toulouse
Language: English
Subfield: Astronomy and Astrophysics
Field: Physics and Astronomy
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $6,990
OpenAlex ID: W7128775409