Researchers build DNA replication in a model synthetic cell

30 April 2018

Researchers at the Danelon Lab at TU Delft in cooperation with colleagues at the Autonomous University of Madrid, have created an artificial DNA blueprint for the replication of DNA in a cell-like structure. Though this research was not directly funded by BaSyC, creating such a complex biological module is an important step towards the goal of BaSyC of building a complete and functioning synthetic cell from the bottom up.

Read for more information the article on the TU Delft News

Paper:
Self-replication of DNA by its encoded proteins in liposome-based synthetic cells
Pauline van Nies, Ilja Westerlaken, Duco Blanken, Margarita Salas, Mario Mencia and Christophe Danelon
Nature Communications 2018

Summary: The central dogma of biology was formulated in the 1950’s and describes the flow of genetic information as a universal property of living cells. In this report, we reconstructed DNA replication, transcription and translation, the three pillars of the central dogma, inside synthetic liposome compartments.

In figure: Fluorescence confocal image of micrometer-sized phospholipid vesicles, called liposomes. Red channel, membrane dye; Green channel, DNA dye. DNA amplification is visualized as bright green spots in the lumen of liposomes.